Health and Safety Officer

About the Role

We are seeking a proactive and knowledgeable Health & Safety Officer to support the delivery of a safe, compliant and efficient working environment across healthcare premises.

In this key role, you will provide specialist Health & Safety advice, operational oversight, and compliance support. Working closely with managers, staff, contractors, and external stakeholders, you will help ensure statutory compliance, effective risk management and the consistent use of safe systems of work in day‑to‑day operations.

You will contribute to the implementation and monitoring of Health & Safety systems—including asbestos management, COSHH, contractor control, training compliance, inspection programmes and wider governance processes—while promoting a culture of safety, accountability and continuous improvement.

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Main Responsibilities

Technical & Operational

• Provide specialist Health & Safety advice to managers and staff.
• Support the development and implementation of H&S policies, procedures and risk assessments.
• Maintain risk assessments, action plans and compliance documentation.
• Assist with COSHH, asbestos controls, contractor safety arrangements and safe systems of work.
• Coordinate inspection and audit activities; identify hazards and support corrective actions.
• Support change management processes and promote risk awareness.
• Maintain H&S databases, KPIs and reporting tools.
• Assist in delivering the Asbestos Management Plan and overseeing related works.
• Support contractor control processes and minor compliance works.
• Contribute to incident reporting, investigations and follow‑up actions.

Professional Development

• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of Health & Safety legislation and specialist compliance areas.
• Support service improvement initiatives to enhance safety and compliance.
• Contribute to the delivery of training sessions, briefings and toolbox talks.

Supervision & Coordination

• Manage day-to-day training compliance and statutory record keeping.
• Support planning to maintain compliance during staff absence or peak workloads.
• Provide practical guidance on safe working practices.
• Assist with monitoring compliance KPIs and reporting to the Health, Safety and Risk Manager.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including contractors.

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Key Working Relationships

Internal:

• Strategic Asset Services Director & Director of Business Operations and Governance
• Head of Compliance and Safety
• Health, Safety and Risk Manager
• Estates, Capital Projects, Fire Safety Teams
• GMS Managers and staff

External:

• Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust staff
• Regulatory and advisory bodies
• Professional H&S organisations
• Contractors, designers, architects & consultants
• Training providers

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Working Conditions

• Regular work in clinical and non-clinical environments, including confined spaces and working at height.
• Travel between multiple sites required.
• Exposure to varied estate conditions typical of a large healthcare setting.
• Occasional lone working and flexible hours.
• Responding to unpredictable operational demands requiring adaptability.

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Person Specification

Qualifications & Training

• Diploma/NVQ Level 4 in Health & Safety, Facilities or related discipline (Essential)
• NEBOSH or IOSH qualification (Essential)
• Knowledge of COSHH requirements (Essential)
• Evidence of CPD (Essential)
• Degree-level qualification (Desirable)
• Asbestos or confined space qualifications (Desirable)
• Management or training qualification (Desirable)

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of H&S legislation and compliance frameworks (Essential)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (Essential)
• Ability to analyse risks and implement practical controls (Essential)
• Strong organisational and record‑keeping skills (Essential)
• Ability to influence safe behaviours (Desirable)
• Report writing skills (Desirable)

Experience

• H&S compliance experience within a large/complex organisation (Essential)
• Experience conducting risk assessments and audits (Essential)
• Experience delivering training or awareness sessions (Essential)
• Experience in healthcare or high‑risk environments (Desirable)

Personal Attributes

• Self‑motivated with strong workload management (Essential)
• Methodical and risk-based approach to problem solving (Essential)
• Collaborative and supportive team worker (Essential)
• Confident to challenge unsafe practices (Essential)
• Commitment to continuous improvement (Desirable)

This is a temporary ongong position with the possibility of a permanent role.