School Health & Safety Officer

School Health & Safety Officer

Join the University of Sheffield as a School Health & Safety Officer and play a key role in delivering a high-quality health and safety risk management environment for the School.

As School Health & Safety Officer you will provide a professional, enthusiastic, high-quality and comprehensive health and safety risk management to the School. You will be responsible for ensuring all staff, students and visitors have access to appropriate health and safety training, and will ensure that breaches of legislation and/or University policy are reported, challenged and resolved. Your actions will contribute to a positive safety culture in which incidents are reported openly and are used as learning opportunities to improve working practice.

• Act with the delegated authority of the Head of School on Health and Safety matters (both routine and urgent), bringing matters to the Head of School’s attention as appropriate, to ensure appropriate action is taken.
• Be fully familiar with the University’s Health and Safety Policy and work with senior leaders to develop, implement and annually review the School Safety Policy in line with University guidance and best practice.
• Review the School’s activities in relation to all University Health and Safety policies and advise on and oversee their implementation, suggesting improvements where appropriate.
• Make frequent regular visits to facilities across the School to monitor compliance with University health and safety policies, assist staff in implementing these policies and maintain health and safety records.
• Arrange and carry out regular health and safety inspections of School spaces, record findings and ensure appropriate action is taken, reporting significant findings to the departmental H&S Committee.
• Lead the Department’s preparation for Health and Safety audits carried out by the central Health and Safety team, ensuring all reports are made by the due date.
• Investigate accidents and incidents ensuring that all necessary reports are made to University Safety Services and recommended actions are carried out.
• Coordinate and deliver training on safety related topics, ensuring that appropriate health and safety training/induction of staff and visitors is provided and that suitable records are maintained.
• Maintain and disseminate health and safety information and reports as appropriate to staff.
• Monitor arrangements for fire prevention and first aid to ensure adequate cover.
• Organise and attend the School Health and Safety Committee, assist in setting the agenda and following up on actions.
• Advise on School arrangements for risk assessment (generation, approval & review) and SOPs, monitor to ensure documents are suitable & sufficient, support employee induction and training, and enforce safety requirements with the Head of School.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience does not match perfectly with this role’s criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

• A good honours degree or significant experience in H&S position (Stage: Application / Interview)
• Recognised NEBOSH Safety qualification (Stage: Application / Interview)
• Recognised Biosafety Qualification and professional body membership e.g. ISTR (Stage: Application / Interview / Test)
• Ability to develop a safer working environment through positive safety communication and initiatives (Stage: Application / Interview / Test)
• Strong leadership and influencing skills with the ability to persuade and influence a wide range of people to achieve changes in behaviour (Stage: Application / Interview / Test)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to adapt approach and level of advice for the recipient (Stage: Application / Interview / Test)
• Compe…