The Future Leaders Steering Group member made the transition from chef to a career in OSH, achieving Chartered status in just two years. He tells us how his consultancy role sped up his progress, and why soft skills are the route to a rewarding career.
How and why did you get into health and safety?
I trained to be a chef and I was in hospitality for about six years, but I realised striking a good work/life balance in the sector is near impossible. The environmental health aspect of hospitality interested me and I decided to study environmental health at Leeds Beckett University. That’s where I was introduced to the safety, health and environmental management course, which is accredited by IOSH, and I felt much more drawn to the variety of that industry.
Tell us about your current role.
I work at Premier Risk Services, a health and safety/risk management consultancy based in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, with offices in Edinburgh and London. I’m a risk control adviser and coordinator, which entails producing health and safety documentation and management systems, carrying out site-based auditing and gap analysis, and supporting with accreditation and ISO-based certifications, as well as accident investigations. I’m fortunate enough to have my time split between site-based work and office-based support, which means I get to work in construction, civil engineering, manufacturing, hospitality and logistics, as well as a range of other sectors.
You’ve been involved with the overhaul of Battersea Power Station – what’s it like working on such a massive project?
I was fortunate enough to spend more than a year on-site on a bi-weekly basis. I don’t think I’ll experience anything on that scale again soon. Your technical knowledge is really tested, but the logistical and commercial aspects of an £8bn overhaul are what I enjoyed being a small part of. Managing high standards on site, as well as the commercial and logistical setbacks of COVID, made an impact on my soft skills. Learning how to talk to and work in teams of people was a massive part of my personal development.
Which aspects of the IOSH competency framework have you found most useful?
Technical skills are obviously vital but, in my opinion, core and behaviour skills have an immediate impact on getting involved in the industry. I know professionals early in their careers and in education who focus so heavily on technical knowledge they forget health and safety is first and foremost an interaction with people.
How proud are you to be an IOSH Future Leader?
Incredibly proud. It’s a role that gives you the opportunity to push yourself further and support people hoping to get to where you are too. It’s a fantastic network.
What lies ahead for Future Leaders in OSH?
Getting more young professionals into OSH. IOSH is leading the way in building networks and support systems, and I think the hard work the organisation is doing in highlighting OSH as a rewarding career choice will shape the industry.
How did you become a Chartered Member so quickly?
It wasn’t as quick as I’d have liked. I started at the end of 2020 and I thought I’d have it wrapped up in six months. I bit off more than I could chew. I knew my role would have a massive impact on supplying evidence because I get to work in so many industries. I made an effort to reach out to IOSH to find out what the process would involve, so I could start gathering evidence before I took the plunge since you only have two years to do it.
What are the benefits of being a Chartered Member?
It’s a direct link to becoming an OSHCR [Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register] registered consultant. It also lends weight to your opinions when dealing with upper management and director-level stakeholders, which is worth its weight in gold when you’re a young professional. The biggest impact I’ve felt is confidence in myself. If Chartered status wasn’t such a big thing, everyone would have it.
What about the profession do you find most rewarding? And most challenging?
You’d think it was the large-scale projects but it’s the smaller end of the scale I enjoy most. When small firms come on board and need OSH support, being a part of that journey where you see a direct impact is fantastic. On the other hand, my role can be very reactive, being involved in investigations following injuries or fatalities on site. As a third party it can be difficult because you are critical of what could/should have been implemented to prevent it in the first place.
Health and safety is first and foremost an interaction with people
What are your ambitions?
In the spirit of biting off more than I can chew again, achieving CFIOSH before I’m 30 is definitely a goal. I’m also fortunate enough to be a part of a great firm that is growing and offering me progression, so I couldn’t ask for more. I’d like to continue my IOSH volunteering and venture into mentoring in the future.
Tristin's top tips: How to get help on way to Chartered membership
- Get a mentor
It can be humbling if you haven’t researched the process and how long it takes. A mentor really makes a difference in supporting you and managing your ambitions at a realistic level. - Get experience in a consultancy
I must have sent out more than 30 direct emails to companies in my accessible area. Two got back to me and fortunately one is where I work now. I went in expecting nothing but the experience itself. It isn’t necessarily easy but doing this shows that you value the work and the opportunity, which is precious if you don’t have a role in industry or a role with varied duties.
