Health and safety adviser
Keep people safe from injuries, accidents and health problems in the workplace. You'd promote energy-efficient practices that help colleagues stay healthy.
Also known as: health and safety officer, health and safety coordinator
About the job
Career insights – Health and safety adviser
What it's like
You would keep people safe from accidents, injuries and health problems in the workplace. You’d create health and safety policies and make sure employers and workers follow them.
Depending on your employer, your work could cover areas such as:
fire safety
occupational health
noise
safe use of machinery
control of hazardous substances
Your tasks might include:
developing effective policies and procedures
making regular inspections and risk assessments
keeping records of accidents
advising on protective clothing and equipment
training employees on safety issues
investigating accidents and recommending improvements in safety standards
writing reports
You’d work with Health and Safety Executive inspectors and trade unions.
You’d need to have a good knowledge of health and safety legislation and keep up to date with changes in the law.
In some companies, responsibility for health and safety may be part of another job role such as personnel or facilities management.
Green job   Â
In this job you could be doing work to help the environment. You could:Â Â Â Â Â
promote greener safety practices, such as disposing of harmful chemicals in a way that minimises harm to the environmentÂ
make sure people follow energy-saving safety practices, such as switching off electrical equipment when not in use Â
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- understanding
- negotiating
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- empathising
- problem solving
- written communication
- verbal communication
- building relationships
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Environmental Science
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Practical Craft Skills
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Engineering
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Skills for Work: Building Services Engineering
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
To become a health and safety adviser, you can either study for health and safety qualifications whilst you are working or take a training course before looking for a trainee position.
The type of training you take will depend on the industry you work in.
Relevant work-based qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Occupational Health & Safety (SVQ level 3/4) or a Higher National diploma (SCFQ level 8), degree (SCQF level 9/10) or postgraduate qualification (SCQF level 11) in a subject like Occupational Health & Safety, Engineering, building or sciences.
The University of the West of Scotland offers a Occupational Health & Safety Degree (SCQF level 9/10) which requires National 5 qualifications and a minimum of three Highers or a relevant HNC/HND.
To enter a postgraduate course (SCQF level 11) you will usually require an honours degree in a relevant subject.
Qualifications should meet Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) standards.
Qualifications and experience that develop an understanding of relevant health and safety regulations and allow you to use problem-solving and communication skills.
You must hold a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent and pass a health and safety test to work and train on construction sites.
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