Is Health and Safety Necessary?

Health & Safety professionals are decreasing in supply while increasing in demand.

The current political climate joined with distressing terror threats is making it especially pertinent to have a strong, highly trained, competent Health and Safety team and strategy in place.

From 2008 to 2018, Health and Safety employment is expected to increase by 11%. Not only is the demand increasing but the expectations of quality of candidates is getting progressively higher. The challenge that the sector is being faced with is the lack of professionals available, partly due to the lack of visibility for the profession.

Health and Safety roles demand knowledge, experience, resources, intelligence and leadership. Candidates need to be able to understand terminology, react fast and efficiently to problems and be confident to implement regulations and ensure they are complied with.

With the necessity of Health and Safety positions increasing, along with the candidate profile developing and becoming increasingly more complex the significance of professionals being trained cannot be over-looked; NEBOSH and IOSH qualifications are growingly more sought after.

There has been some negative judgement towards Health and Safety professionals previously, comments such as ‘they are red tape’ have been muffling through the market, but this is far from reality. The Health & Safety teams are there to prevent issues, not just to help and resolve incidents; they are a key part of the property management sector and need to be valued as they make a significant impact to the overall performance of a scheme.

Health and Safety professionals are indispensable. Research from IOSH proved Health and Safety professionals can dramatically decrease accidents. Accidents cost businesses time in staff replacements, an increase in insurance and a bad reputation. In more serious scenarios companies can be risking sizeable fines and sentences issued by the UK courts.

Health and Safety reduces injuries, lowers insurance, promotes a healthier brand and results in better productivity. When an employee leaves or retires, the need for a quick and quality replacement is vital. With the new legislation act being introduced, a strong Health and Safety team is necessary for a businesses success – the construction industry alone has been hit with total fines of £8million since February’s regulation changes. Companies are expected to dramatically increase their Health and Safety teams and strongly develop their strategies moving forwards.

If you are looking to grow your Health and Safety management team, or are looking to progress your career in the sector, please get in touch for a confidential conversation.

Sebastian Osborne, Facilities and Shopping Centre Management, Foundation Recruitment

sebastian.osborne@foundationrecruitment.com  DDI: 0161 694 9723