Health & Safety Advisor (P01871)

Location: Appletree Court, Lyndhurst

Salary: £33,024 – 36,665 per year  

Hours:  37 per week

New Forest District Council is one of the largest non-unitary Councils in the UK. Based in Hampshire, we have over 16 million visitors each year to the National Park, surrounding towns and villages and have stunning beaches along the 40-mile coastline. This provides a diverse range of challenging and interesting issues for a Health and Safety professional working here to resolve.

You will be part of a small team responsible for providing expert health and safety advice to the Services, managers and workforce of New Forest District Council, which has a complex range of health and safety risks. 

The Corporate Health and Safety Team provides competent advice to all Services in order to manage those risks.  Working within the team, you will be involved in the organisation, planning and undertaking of audits across the organisation, providing expert advice to our managers and supporting the Safety Management System, ensuring that active and reactive monitoring is undertaken, and actions acted upon.

Responsibilities for the Health and Safety Advisor will include:

• Visiting sites conducting audits, inspections, and accident investigations. Constantly seeking areas for improvement and development in health and safety;
• Engaging with management across the organisation, ensuring that the requirements of the H&S management system are being applied;
• Engaging with the workforce across sites, carrying out risk assessments and implementing health and safety policies and procedures, to ensure compliance with health and safety legislation;
• Engaging with people at all levels across the organisation to embed health and safety best practice, engaging with managers, ensuring responsibilities are clear and answering technical Health and Safety related questions;
• Establish health and safety requirements at site and use experience and initiative to provide educated solutions;
• Highlighting areas where poor practice and/or significant risk has not been properly managed out;
• Investigating incidents and producing detailed factual reports, identifying root causes and recommendations for improvement;
• Liaising with enforcing authorities as necessary;
• Assisting the Corporate H&S Manager in the preparation, review and updating of policies and procedures;
• Keeping up to date with new legislation and best practices in the industry through regular reading of journals and relevant website/ site visits;
• Be confident to deliver toolbox talks and briefings, and delivering training where necessary

At NFDC we believe that all our employees make a valuable contribution to the work of the Council and that’s why we encourage a trusting and open culture where each employee is supported and respected equally, where ideas are actively sought, and self-development promoted.

The successful Health and Safety Advisor will have:

• Proven experience in a similar role ideally within public services, or in an industry with a similar risk profile;
• A NEBOSH or NCRQ Certificate and ideally Tech IOSH status and experience with safety management systems;
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities;
• A strong technical knowledge across relevant health and safety legislation.

 What we can offer in return is a great place to work and a great team to work with. We believe that all our employees make a valuable contribution to the work of the council and that’s why we encourage a trusting and open culture where each employee is supported and respected equally, where ideas are actively sought and self-development promoted. We also recognise the value of a highly motivated and engaged workforce and we actively promote a good work/life balance.

Benefits include:

• 26 days annual leave p.a. plus an additional 5 days for 5 years local authority continuous service.
• Local government pension scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme (free 24 hour legal, financial and personal advice for employees).

For more information or for an informal discussion, please contact Spencer Scott (Corporate Health and Safety Manager) on 02380 285435.

Closing Date: Midnight on Sunday 5^th December

Anticipated Interview Date: Tuesday 21^st December