Health, Security and Safety Career Guide

Sectors / 05 May 2023

Professionals working in health, security, and safety manage risks to avoid harm to employees, the general public, communities or the environment. Work can involve risk management strategy, research and planning, implementing health and safety strategies and monitoring compliance.

Career options in this sector can vary depending on the industry, type of company or organisation, and the stage of the process in which you work. Although health, security and safety jobs all have the same goal, each employer may have its own objectives and area of focus, heavily influenced by its sector and legal compliance requirements.

In this career guide, we’ll focus on three job roles within the health, security and safety sector: health and safety consultant, environmental health officer and health and safety inspector.

Potential Roles in Health, Security and Safety

Health, security and safety employees can work for private companies or government-funded public services, including the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The three job roles chosen for this guide cover both the private and public sectors.

Health and safety consultants can be involved in all stages of the health, security and safety process, including identifying risks, creating policies and procedures relevant to their company, training employees, supporting implementation and ensuring compliance. You can find health and safety consultancy jobs in most large organisations in almost every industry.

Environmental health officers aim to keep individuals, communities and their surroundings safe from harm. Most environmental health officer jobs are in the public sector, either through the HSE or local governments, although work in the private sector is also possible.

Health and safety inspectors monitor compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. They also investigate incidents or accidents to determine whether the employer managed risks appropriately and whether the accident resulted from negligence. Most health and safety inspector jobs are with the government HSE, although some are through local councils or private companies.

Salary and Career Progression

There is good scope for progression and increasing salaries in the health, security and safety sector. Private employers typically pay higher wages, although working in the public sector offers job security and many additional benefits, like generous pension contributions, sickness pay and maternity benefits.

Health and safety consultants start at about £22,000 for junior health and safety roles, rising to £40,000 with experience. As a health and safety consultant, getting promoted and working your way up the career ladder to more senior positions is possible. Top salaries can be upwards of £70,000.

Environmental health officers can progress in their careers by becoming a supervisor or manager of a team, moving to a larger organisation, or into the private sector from the public sector. Salaries start at around £25,000 and rise to £35,000 to £60,000 for managerial positions.

Health and safety inspectors have already gained experience in a health and safety role and have progressed to an inspector’s job. Salaries can be very lucrative. Pay typically starts at around £30,000, but the most senior health and safety inspectors can earn £130,000 or more.

Qualifications, Education and Experience

Health and safety consultants typically have a university degree. However, entering the profession without one is possible if you have other health and safety qualifications and experience. The following can be advantageous:

A minimum of 4-5 GCSEs at grades 5-9 (C-A**)
2-3 A Levels or equivalent
A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject
A qualification recognised by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
A postgraduate qualification

Environmental health officers must be educated and qualified in environmental health, specifically. The following are necessary or beneficial:

A minimum of 4-5 GCSEs at grades 5-9 (C-A**)
2-3 A Levels or equivalent
A Bachelor’s degree in environmental health, accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
Work experience as part of your qualification
A Master’s degree in environmental health or a related subject

Health and safety inspectors must at least have a Higher National Diploma or a Bachelor’s degree to enter the profession. The following may be helpful:

A minimum of 4-5 GCSEs at grades 5-9 (C-A**)
2-3 A Levels or equivalent
A Bachelor’s degree, preferably in a relevant subject, like applied science or environmental health
A postgraduate qualification is necessary for advanced or specialist inspector roles
Experience in a health and safety role

Skills

All job roles in the health, security and safety sector require high-level skillsets.

Health and safety consultants can benefit from the following skills:

Commitment to continued learning
Attention to detail
Diligence
Problem-solving skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
IT skills
Knowledge of health and safety laws
Ability to work independently or as part of a team
Driving licence (if covering multiple sites)

Environmental health officers need to be:

Calm under pressure
Confident and assertive
Knowledgable of environmental laws and policies
Excellent at verbal and written communication
Diligent and conscientious
Competent in maths and science
Decisive
Able to deal with all kinds of people
Self-motivated

Health and safety inspectors must have the following:

Diligence
Commitment to continued learning
Self-motivation
Organisation skills
Problem-solving skills
Sound knowledge and understanding of maths and science
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
IT skills
Ability to stay calm under pressure

Working Hours

Jobs in health, security and safety tend to involve working standard office hours of 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, with weekends, evenings and bank holidays off. However, in some roles, you may be required to work outside these hours if an incident or accident needs urgent attention.

Jobs in environmental health are more likely to involve evening or weekend work if you are required to inspect premises that open during these hours, like food outlets.

Notable Locations

Job positions in health, security and safety are available in many locations around the UK and globally. The government Health and Safety Executive is located in London, although you could also take a public sector post in a local council anywhere in the UK.

Large organisations that employ health, security and safety professionals employ professionals to work in towns and cities in the UK and beyond, including:

Birmingham
Leeds
Halesowen
Harrogate
Exeter
Salisbury
Bootle
Daventry
Manchester
Munich, Germany
Savoie, France
Torino, Italy
Singapore
Gujarat, India

Notable Companies

The Pennon Group: A leading UK business in water and wastewater management. Owns South West Water, Bristol Water and Bournemouth Water
The Health and Safety Executive: The UK government’s centralised department for creating health and safety policies and laws. The head office is in Bootle, Merseyside. Other offices are located across the UK
Safety Management Limited: Provides health and safety consultancy for several industries, including manufacturing, construction, engineering and logistics. The head office is in Daventry
Local councils: Every council across the UK, including the London Boroughs, employs environmental health officers to work in food safety, air quality, housing standards and more
General Electric: Global energy company with offices or facilities in 997 cities worldwide. Offers global opportunities in health, security and safety

Next Steps

If you’re looking for a job in health, security and safety, sign up to JobLookup for the latest vacancies straight to your inbox. To get a headstart on your competitors, read The Ultimate Jobseeker Guide for tips and advice on landing your next role.