Trainee Inspector of Health and Safety (Band 4 / HEO)
Health and Safety Executive
Apply before Midday on Friday 18th October 2024
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About the job
Job summary
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) exists to help prevent work-related death, injury and ill health. Our inspectors play a critical role on the front line in the workplace; protecting people by preventing and investigating incidents and enforcing the law.
Working across a wide geographic area, you will begin your career in a robust training programme involving a combination of field and classroom based training, culminating in a post-graduate level qualification and promotion to the career grade for an Inspector. In training you will build a technical understanding of the law, safety technology and health matters, as well as learning to analyse how companies manage these issues and deal with people at every level in a wide range of organisations.
It’s a hugely varied and rewarding opportunity that offers the scope for continuous personal and professional development, as well as the chance to make a positive impact on people’s lives. Getting the perfect match between our culture, our work and you is incredibly important for both of us.
Please be aware that we are expecting to have a high volume of roles available, we will be placing all successful candidates into a merit order based on location preference. Offers will be made to candidates when posts become available throughout the next 12 months.
For a full description of the role and further details regarding the Regulatory Training Programme, please ensure you read the attached Candidate Pack before submitting your application.
You can also view testimonials from Trainee Inspectors that have recently joined HSE, which will give you more insight into the responsibilities and day to day activity of the role.
Job description
As an Inspector you will be involved in a range of activities, notably inspections and investigations. Where appropriate, you will use various legal processes such as enforcement notices and prosecutions to secure health and safety compliance.
Inspections involve proactively assessing the ability of employers to effectively manage risks to their employees and others (such as contractors or members of the public). Investigations cover accidents, dangerous occurrences, ill health and concerns about workplace conditions and your role will be to uncover what has happened and why. You will have to be prepared to tell people that there is a breach of the law (you will be given lots of training to help you identify and understand this), what action needs to be taken as a result and ensure that this action is taken.
You will have the opportunity to work off site or outdoors at workplaces spread across the region surrounding your base office; occasionally outside of normal working hours.
Not everyone will appreciate what you will be trying to achieve, and sometimes it might be a struggle to change attitudes and convince others about what is required. Very occasionally you may encounter some hostility to your visit. Your training and the support you receive from us will give you the confidence to deal with a wide range of duty holders and difficult situations.
The investigation of fatalities and serious accidents may mean visiting places where there is evidence of what has happened and, in some rare instances, the deceased person may still be on site. You will work with other agencies such as the Police in such circumstances, as well as pulling from the valuable experience and expertise of colleagues and managers. At times, you may need to speak with the bereaved families and witnesses. You will need to be able to do this in a professional, but empathetic manner, communicating effectively with people at every level in an organisation and in the public arena.
Your aim will be to identify where there are breaches of the law and take the action required to get these corrected, and to help duty holders understand what they need to do to sustain compliance with the law. This might require you to take formal enforcement action. It might require persuasion and influencing skills. Often, it will require elements of both. You will always need to gather the right information and evidence to support your decisions. You therefore need a logical and analytical mind and good organisational skills.
With our training and support, you will prepare cases for prosecution for criminal court proceedings and you may need to appear as a witness in court or at an Employment Tribunal.
We operate a cost recovery scheme known as Fee for Intervention (FFI). Whilst you won't be involved in the collection of the fee, you will need to notify the workplace duty holder at the time of their inspection and/or investigation if that visit is going to be cost recoverable and why. You may also need to become familiar with other cost recovery regimes.
In addition to the above, for roles within Chemicals, Explosives and Microbiological Hazards (CEMHD) you will be:
• Providing assurance via inspection, investigation and assessment interventions that major accident risks are being properly managed
• Writing site strategies and carrying out intervention planning
• Focusing interventions on improvements to operator safety management systems and control of risk, including carrying out leadership interventions
Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD):
CRD regulates pesticides, biocides, industrial and consumer chemicals, detergents and the export and import of dangerous chemicals. Additionally, through intervention in the supply chain we seek to prevent the adverse effects of chemicals on people and the environment.
As a globally respected Competent Authority, CRD’s role is to support the UK to prosper, through science-led regulation of the effective and safe use of chemicals and associated technology. To achieve this and deliver improved regulatory outcomes, we work closely with small and large businesses, and key stakeholders, ranging from industry bodies and multi-national chemical businesses, other government departments (in particular Defra) and other regulators across Europe and internationally.
Roles within Inspection Division (INSPD):
INSPD is one of HSE's front-line operational divisions, responsible for carrying out a programme of targeted inspections to a wide range of workplaces in order to assess how well health and safety is being managed. Our current workplan is focussed on the management of specific risks to workers' health in line with HSE's Protecting People and Places strategy. INSPD is also responsible for investigating concerns about workplace health and safety, and will make risk-based decisions when deciding what action to take.
All Trainee Inspectors joining operational divisions other than CEMHD/CRD will start their training in our Inspection Division. Approximately half-way through their training programme, they will move to our Investigation Division to complete their training. Once the Regulatory Training Programme has been completed and the trainee has qualified as an Inspector, they will be placed in one of HSE’s operational Divisions, based on business need at that time.
As you might expect, this role can take you to all sorts of workplaces and conditions, and you may need to access various parts of the workplace, including at height. You therefore need to be reasonably fit. Obviously, your health and safety is paramount to us and we will provide you with a range of personal protective clothing depending on the workplace you are visiting. When you are in the office, you will be dealing with the follow-up to investigations and inspections using HSE's information and recording systems. You can expect to have a challenging, but realistic workload.
Becoming a Health and Safety Inspector is hugely varied and rewarding, and you’ll be challenged in ways you won’t expect. The variety means that it is never dull. And you have an incredible opportunity to make a very positive impact on people's lives.
For a full description of the role and further details regarding the Regulatory Training Programme, please ensure you read the attached Candidate Pack before submitting your application.
Person specification
We are looking for high calibre individuals with:
• Good communication skills, enabling you to give direction, collaborate and partner with others as well as to influence change at all levels, occasionally you may come across an unreceptive or confrontational audience
• Sound analytical skills to include being able to critically review numerous pieces of information, identify significant findings, draw conclusions with reference to relevant benchmarks, make recommendations and articulate them in a written report.
• The ability to plan, change and adapt and have the determination to progress multiple workstreams at the same time and deliver at pace
• Initiative and decisiveness, supporting your ability to make effective decisions
• Confidence to take charge of situations, people and decisions
• Resilience, having inner composure, the ability to recover quickly from setbacks and learn from them
• Commitment to your learning and development to achieve the Regulatory Training programme, with the ability to proactively manage your own learning needs, continually seeking and acting on feedback to evaluate and improve your own and the organisations performance
Licences
Qualifications
For posts located in York with our Chemical Regulations Division (CRD), there is a requirement for individuals to have a minimum degree of 2:2 or a level 7/8 qualification (e.g. - postgraduate degree, postgraduate certificate) in a relevant Science subject such as: • Chemistry • Environmental Sciences • Biological Sciences • Agriculture • Horticulture • Occupational Hygiene • Biochemistry • Pharmacology • Toxicology • Biomedical Sciences
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Changing and Improving
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
- Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
- Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
- 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave
- Parental leave benefits
- As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E-Gift Cards and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Stage 1 - Civil Service Judgement Test
After submission of the first stage of your application, which requests personal information and will confirm your eligibility to apply for the role, you will then be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please note Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), you must complete the full application form and the online tests by midday (12:00pm) on Friday 18th October. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
Please note: A review of application numbers will be undertaken once the tests have closed. In this instance, we reserve the right to alter the pass mark in order to manage numbers.
Stage 2 - Application form including a CV & Motivational Questions
As part of your application form you will be asked to complete a CV; this will not form part of the selection process and will be used to gather information on qualifications only.
You will also be asked 3 Motivational Questions; details will be provided on the Application Form.
Stage 3 – Assessment of motivational questions
If you score above the pass mark for the online tests your answers for the motivational questions will be sifted.
Stage 4 - HSE Assessment Centres
The assessment centre will test the following behaviours:
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
The behaviours will be tested via four exercises and more detail will be provided when you receive your invitation to the online assessment centre. The assessment centre is due to take place from 16th November.
Further Information
Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location.
Please note that you can choose a second location, but please only select the location you are able to travel to as you may be offered this in the event that your 1st choice is not available.
Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months. There is no guarantee you will be offered a role from our reserve lists, so if you see a vacancy on Civil Service Jobs that you are interested in, we recommend you apply.
Posts in Chemicals, Explosives and Microbiological Hazards
Please note that posts in this division require a Security Check. Due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and, Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.
Sponsorship
This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.
It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached document.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.
We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all disabled applicants who provide evidence of meeting the minimum requirements necessary for the post.
If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk
If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.
Any move to HSE from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at Homepage , Childcare Choices
Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : traineeinspectorrecruitment@hse.gov.uk
- Email : traineeinspectorrecruitment@hse.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : traineeinspectorrecruitment@hse.gov.uk
Further information
