HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE) TRAINEE INSPECTORS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY

Transcription

1 HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE) TRAINEE INSPECTORS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY

2 Contents What does an inspector do? 3 Your training and development 3 About you 4 About the role 5 Experience required 5 Health standard 5 Locations 5 Application process and instructions to apply 6 Application timetable 6-7 Eligibility and other information 8 2

3 What does an inspector do? Place yourself in any working situation. Imagine a risk to health or safety and what could be done to prevent it. Using informed common sense, judgement and influencing skills, your job will be to convince those involved to change their behaviour so they achieve better standards or meet the basic requirements of the law, maybe even save lives. Not everyone will appreciate what you will be trying to achieve and sometimes it might be a struggle convincing others that it is in their best interests to follow your advice. But that is a key part of the inspector s role. We inspect all kinds of workplaces, from factories, refineries, farms and construction sites to fairgrounds, hospitals and universities and you will encounter challenging working conditions such as noise, fumes, dust, heat and cold. You will deal with people at every level in an organisation, employees on the shop floor, union representatives, the managing director and members of the public. Their level of knowledge and understanding of health and safety issues will vary and you must be able to adapt your style of communication to cope with this. You must be open and fair-minded and show an appreciation of the needs of different cultures and practices. You will also need to develop confidence and ability in speaking persuasively to gatherings of employers, or other stakeholders. Although your primary aim will be to secure improvements by influencing and persuading, you must take enforcement action when there are serious breaches of the law. It will be your responsibility to determine when enforcement action is appropriate and to gather and organise appropriate evidence. You may conduct cases before magistrates courts (excepting Scotland, where the legal system differs), and may appear as a witness. Your training and development From the day you start work as an inspector you will be encouraged to develop your existing abilities and learn new skills. To help you do this we have developed a new work-based learning Diploma programme in partnership with Warwick University. The programme encompasses a series of tutorials and courses making our training and accreditation relevant to the day job, hands on and structured. There are four modules: Legal: Safety and Risk Assessment: Occupational Health and Hygiene: Business Awareness, People and Influencing Skills (BAPI) Your training will focus on the knowledge, skills and abilities you need as an inspector. The first two years are particularly intensive, as the aim is to develop your competencies within this period so that you are ready to be rebanded form a trainee to a regulatory inspector with a commensurate increase in salary. Your training will be based around on-the-job experience supported by tutorials delivered by our experienced trainers, internal and external training courses, support and delivery from our University partners, and line management coaching. All of this will enable you to carry out preventive inspections, investigations, enforcement and advisory work on a solo basis. 3

4 The new Diploma is spread over four years and is geared towards assessing the ability of a candidate in the competencies of an inspector s work and less towards academic ability. Some of the assignments and assessments require written work based around what you will be doing in the workplace, others are practical skills based, for example presenting a guilty plea in court. There will be an expectation that you pass all the elements of this Diploma within two attempts to demonstrate ongoing competence in the job and continuing professional development. An important element of your training will be assessment via Level 5 NVQ in Health and Safety Regulation. At the end of the initial two-year period, and provided you have successfully completed the relevant units of the NVQ and Diploma, demonstrated competence and made satisfactory progress in the other elements of your training, you will be rebanded from a trainee to a regulatory inspector, with a commensurate increase in your salary. The Diploma will be completed in years 3 and 4 with the emphasis on broadening your experience during these years and extending your learning and development through further courses and academic learning to enable you to undertake a full range of activities. About you Although we value academic achievement there is no requirement for you to hold a degree. You will be considered if you can demonstrate an equivalent level of achievement through work-based learning and/or other academic or professional qualifications. Your suitability to undertake the training, including passing the Post Graduate Diploma in Regulatory Occupational Health and Safety and progressing through NVQ Level 5 will be largely determined by the tests you will undertake as part of the HSE selection process. Before registering you as their student, Warwick University will ask HSE for supporting evidence of your potential to succeed in postgraduate or post experience studies and for a description of your employment and experience track record, and only if they still have reservations would any kind of attainment /assessment test or interview be held by them. Each case is assessed on an individual basis. Your personal qualities are vital and you must have an ability to influence and persuade, be capable of reaching meaningful and balanced judgments, and be able to work collaboratively within a team. You will need to believe in continuous improvement with fresh ideas, and be adaptable to change. Above all, we need people who can demonstrate calm and poise when working under pressure in one of the most demanding jobs in the public sector. You will also need good comprehension skills in understanding technical and legal documents and the ability to write clear and legible reports to accepted quality standards. The role of an inspector requires a considerable amount of traveling, including to remote locations. It is essential, therefore, that all applicants have a full driving licence that permits them to drive in the UK. We are, however, willing to consider any proposals put forward by disabled applicants that allow them to do the job by other means. 4

5 About the Role Types of work in which you may be involved are: Influencing directors and senior managers of large to small organisations to take responsibility for improving health and safety performance in their organisations; Inspecting workplaces to evaluate how risks are being controlled and to assess compliance with health and safety law; Investigating accidents, including fatalities, cases of ill-health and complaints about poorly managed health and safety risks; Taking enforcement action when there are serious breaches of the law. Enforcement action is taken in different ways but always involves the need to make complex judgements and decisions, which will stand up to scrutiny and are defensible. Frequently this has to be done while still on the employer s premises. You will need to feel comfortable making such decisions. Experience required Whatever your background, you will need the intellectual ability and stamina to be able to demonstrate a range of important personal attributes which are vital to your success as an inspector. The role is rewarding and interesting but can be emotionally and physically demanding. You will be part of a team and can rely on colleagues for support but you spend a significant amount of time alone visiting employers typically 3 days per week. You need to be self-reliant to cope with the difficult situations you may encounter. Carrying out inspections means being on your feet for much of the time. You will need to climb ladders and go to places at height as well as deal with noisy, dusty or fume-filled conditions, which is physically demanding. When you are in the office you will be dealing with follow-up to investigations and inspections. Electronic communication and information storage is widely used. You will know best whether you are able to cope with these challenging and unpredictable working conditions. Health Standard We want you to be able to give regular and effective service in your new role, without undue risk to your health. If you are successful you will be asked to provide details of your health record on a health declaration form. This will be treated in the strictest confidence and will only be examined by HSE s Occupational Health Service provider. Locations At this stage we anticipate vacancies in the following locations: Scotland Aberdeen Edinburgh Glasgow 5

6 Wales and South West England Cardiff Wrexham Bristol Plymouth North of England Leeds Manchester Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Preston Sheffield Midlands Birmingham Nottingham Stoke-on-Trent Northampton South East England Ashford Basingstoke Chelmsford East Grinstead Luton Norwich London London When completing the application form you will be asked to indicate in which of the above regions you would like to work. You will then be asked to state in which of the offices in that region you would like to work. You may only indicate one region in which you would like to work, but can indicate up to three offices in which you would consider working. After taking into account the needs of the organisation, every effort will be made to take your preference into consideration. Application and Selection Procedure How the Process will Work? The application and selection process is thorough and, as well as allowing us to assess your ability to do the job, is designed to provide you with an insight into the work of a Trainee Inspector of Health & Safety. The objective of the process is to evaluate each candidate s ability in relation to the competencies that have been defined as being important attributes for the role. The key stages of the process are: Stage 1 Complete the brief on line application form available via our website which asks you for some basic personal details. Please read the guidance at the beginning of the form so that you understand the information that we need from you. The closing date for applications is 12 th December

7 Once you have completed and submitted your application all candidates who meet the basic eligibility criteria for the role will receive an inviting them to complete three on-line ability tests (this should be by 18 th December 2007). Please note that the on-line tests must be completed by 3 rd January The online test invitation will include details of how to access user support if you encounter any technical difficulties. Stage 2 Candidates who are successful in the initial on-line tests will be invited to complete a further on-line numerical test. We anticipate that s inviting candidates to complete the numerical test will be despatched towards the end of week commencing 14 th January Stage 3 Once the on-line tests are complete candidates will be placed in merit order and invited to attend an assessment centre. Assessment centres will be held during the second half of February 2008 in central London and Merseyside. The event will be a full day event and will consist of: A structured, competency-based interview; A group discussion exercise; Two written exercises; A further ability test similar to those taken on-line; A mechanical reasoning test. Further details will be provided if you are invited to attend the assessment event. If you are successful and are offered a post you will be expected to start work with us on Monday 31 March If you have any questions about the application process, please call Referees The Executive is required to seek references to cover the last 3 years. You should not send testimonials, you will be asked on your application form, or, at a later stage if you are considered otherwise acceptable for appointment, for the names of referees, who are not related to you and who have given permission for the Executive to approach them. They should have first-hand knowledge of your qualifications and experience and be able to report on your present or recent employment. If you have undertaken relevant further education in the last 5 years, you should name the member of the academic staff best acquainted with your work and conduct. You should give more than one name if this is necessary in order to cover the period of such education. Security Clearance Some posts require security clearance and successful applicants will have to undergo an appropriate level of security vetting. 7

8 Travel and Overnight Expenses Within certain limits, the Executive will refund your travelling expenses (and, if you have to stay overnight away from home, your accommodation costs) incurred within the United Kingdom in attending an interview or examination. Details will accompany your invitation to interview or examination. The Executive cannot refund expenses for travel to this country from abroad. If you are already a civil servant, you may wish to ask your Personnel Officer whether you can be regarded as travelling on duty. If you are serving overseas in HM Forces, you should ask your service authority about the possibility of travel at public expense. Eligibility and other Information Nationality Most civil service posts are open to UK Nationals; Commonwealth citizens (which includes British Dependent Territories citizens, British Nationals (overseas), and British Overseas citizens; British Protected persons; EEA nationals (including EFTA) of other member states; and certain non-eea family members. Character If you are appointed, a check against the National Collection of Criminal Records may be undertaken and documentary evidence sought to confirm your answers. Work Life Balance Arrangements to help staff who wish to combine domestic responsibilities with a career in HSE include opportunities for part-time work, flexible working hours, possibilities of unpaid leave, paid maternity leave and subject to circumstances, career breaks. However, where it is necessary to attend mandatory training courses, which may be residential, it may not always be possible to avoid overnight stays and longer hours. Consequent childcare expenses would normally be met by HSE. Retirement You can work until 65 if you wish to do so. Pension As soon as you start your new job, you are eligible to join the Civil Service pension arrangements. We offer you a choice of two types of pension: Nuvos. This is an occupational pension scheme that currently has a 3.5% member contribution rate. As your employer we meet the rest of the cost of the scheme. Partnership pension account. This is a stakeholder pension with a contribution from ourselves. How much we pay is based on your age. We pay this regardless of whether you choose to contribute anything. You do not have to contribute but, if you do, we will also match your contributions up to 3% of your pensionable earnings. The contributions are in addition to the agerelated contribution mentioned above. You do not have to join the Civil Service Pension arrangements; you may opt out and be covered instead by a personal pension or the State Second Pension Scheme (S2P). You will be automatically entered into the Nuvos scheme on appointment unless you return your choice form at or before your start date. However, if you want your alternative pension arrangements to apply from the start of your appointment you must make your decision within three months of that date. If you wish to transfer pension benefits into PCSPS you 8

9 should apply within 12 months of joining HSE. Our pension s administrators are: Department for Work and Pensions, Runcorn Pension Team, 1st Floor Area C, Castle View House, Runcorn, WA7 2GJ Tel For further information please visit the Civil Service Pensions website 9

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