Health and safety adviser: Career development

In order to progress their careers and achieve enhanced status and reward, health and safety professionals need to be willing to change employers. The career of a health and safety adviser can be developed by moving into management at regional and group level. Some organisations also recruit at director level and such posts may attract salaries of £100,000. A Diploma in Management Studies or an MBA, as well as a health and safety qualification, would be likely requirements for these posts.

Health and safety advisers can also develop their career by moving to a larger organisation, by specialising in a particular industrial sector, e.g. nuclear safety or offshore oil and gas, or by gaining expertise in particular areas, such as hazardous substances, security or terrorism.

There are also opportunities in universities and colleges for lecturing and research, e.g. in higher education as a lecturer for BSc and MSc courses, or in further education as a lecturer for National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH)  and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH)  courses.

Some health and safety advisers become consultants specialising in supporting small organisations or giving specialist advice. There are also opportunities to work overseas.