Health And Safety Officer

Hays are delighted to be partnering with the Office for Product Safety Standards (OPSS) to recruit a Health and Safety Officer which is a key role within their Laboratories team. This is a fantastic opportunity to work for a national regulator and join a friendly and supportive team.  

Our Team:

Joining a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers who deliver testing capability across the whole portfolio of OPSS regulatory requirements. The team works across their new testing laboratories which include metrology, mechanical, electrical, chemical and flammability facilities. They implement fit for purpose practices and procedures to deliver robust, scientific outputs.

The Role:

The Health & Safety Officer to lead and shape their internal systems and processes, embracing a culture of continuous improvement and ensuring OPSS continues to deliver a high-quality technical service. The successful candidate will have a strong focus on providing knowledge and direction on the safe operation of the laboratory facilities and will develop and maintain safety systems to drive improvements.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the health & safety system across OPSS laboratories.
• Setting the standard for robust risk assessments and driving a safety-first culture.
• Lead safety audits and inspections and assist in external audit planning.
• Work with the laboratory facility managers to ensure operations are carried out in accordance with relevant regulatory and organisational policies and procedures.
• Investigate accidents, incidents and non-compliances, assign root cause analysis, ensure they are reported and documented, and implement comprehensive corrective action to promote improvement planning.
• Conduct essential assurance tasks which include checks on protective gear, hazardous materials, waste disposal protocols, and more.
• Identify areas for improvement and manage the delivery of new initiatives and training where appropriate.
• Monitor the Health and Safety performance of the laboratories and promote regular lab-related Health and Safety communications across the lab teams, OPSS and departmental Health and Safety team.
• Develop and maintain a profile in the area of Health and Safety by attendance and participation in relevant external networks, meetings and training events.

Skills & Experience

Essential Criteria:

• a degree in a scientific or engineering field, or equivalent qualification with relevant Health and Safety experience
• experience using integrated management systems in a regulated laboratory environment
• good knowledge of safety data sheets and implementation of COSHH assessments.
• ability to engage and communicate clearly and effectively with scientific experts and non-experts
• attention to detail and excellent record-keeping skills
• organisational skills to prioritise your workload and meet tight timeframes

Desirable Criteria:

• NEBOSH certification or similar
• technical membership of IOSH working towards graduate membership
• procurement and contract management experience

What you'll get in return

Alongside your salary of £43,007 you will also be entitled to the below benefits:

• Additional pay allowance up to £5150
• A Civil Service pension with employer contributions of at least 20% of your salary
• Career development - Learning and development opportunities as a professional scientist or engineer and as a manager
• An environment with flexible working options
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Selection process

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria.
• A Personal Statement of up to 750 words describing how your skills, knowledge and experience match the requirements of this role and, as part of this, please provide an example of a time you have enhanced Health and Safety with positive outcomes for your team and/or organisation.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually, we will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception. Interviews will take place week commencing 1st April 2024.

Hays have been retained by OPSS to manage the recruitment of this role, please contact Sophie Scott with any queries.