There is a wealth of information that can be found here. If you still have questions or you would like to book a course place please 
Ex-Military? Why a career in health and safety is for you
Tom Duggan is the Managing Director and Senior Health & Safety Tutor at Woodward SHE Ltd, a Gold rated NEBOSH Learning Partner.
In this article Tom outlines why former military service personnel are so well-suited to a career in health and safety.
How it all started
I founded Woodward SHE Ltd. in 1992 and we’ve been involved in resettlement training since the get-go, working with privates, brigadiers, and all those in between. We delivered the first NEBOSH National General Certificate resettlement course for Service Leavers at Catterick Garrison in March 1993. We still deliver courses at Catterick Garrison, but they are held “outside the wire” now.
In the early nineties, service leavers faced slim pickings when it came to the job market. They might be directed to the police or roles in administration, but that was more or less it. At Woodward, we recognised the potential of service leavers to succeed in health and safety.
This is why we started working with NEBOSH; to give ex-service personnel the best chance of securing jobs in health and safety, equipping them with the qualifications, knowledge, and expertise required to begin their new careers.
A parallel skillset
The skills required to succeed in the military transfer impressively to those required to succeed in health and safety…
A penchant for protection
In their work to safeguard workers, health and safety professionals take a proactive, preventative approach to injury, accidents, and equipment failure. This explains why many who leave the Armed Forces have the passion to succeed in this field – after all, the role is primarily about inspiring groups of people to take a disciplined approach to avoid dangerous, potentially life-threatening situations. The parallels aren’t difficult to spot.
A systematic approach to work
Good health and safety professionals have the discipline to see their decisions through and develop effective routines and habits. For military men and women, discipline and commitment come as standard.
Planning is also vital in health and safety, just like in the military. Getting it wrong can have huge consequences, it can even be the difference between life and death.
The ability to adapt
The old military adage, ‘no plan survives first contact’, is worth bearing in mind here. It means that those who have served in the Armed Forces have to be adaptable – their lives and the lives of others could depend on it.
A soldier who, on the battlefield, is able to analyse what’s going wrong and put it right, is clearly in good stead to apply this thinking, in the context of health and safety, in the workplace.
Class communication
Communication, in particular verbal, is a skill that the military refine in their recruits. From meetings to high-pressure and fast-paced situations, service personnel must be able to communicate effectively with their comrades.
This is a skill that organisations truly value in their health and safety professionals. Those that can make a plan, solve a problem and resolve a conflict, all while communicating with the wider workforce, contribute immensely to the success of an organsiation.
What was then is not now
Historically, employers have been reluctant to employ former service personnel. Why? Well, one of the main sticking points was employers saying, “they don’t have any qualifications we recognise”.
By training service personnel and helping them achieve a NEBOSH qualification, we’ve given employers a clear way of measuring their capability. We’ve challenged stereotypes and outdated mindsets; giving the people we work with a new-found status and confidence to go into the job market.
Job fairs put on with a focus on resettlement are now full of big companies, such as Rolls Royce and BA Systems, who recognise that ex-servicemen and women have a lot to offer.
A final word
I really would say if you’re out of the military, and weighing up your career options, it’s well worth considering health and safety. You might just surprise yourself.
This blog is part of the NEBOSH Do Something Great: Your Health and Safety Career series. Download your free NEBOSH career guide today.
Adapted from the original article posted on the NEBOSH website here:
One in five bosses NOT trained in health and safety
One in five bosses NOT trained in health and safety.
Managers play a crucial role in preventing work-related accidents and ill health – but one in five companies don’t train them in health and safety, according to a new report published today.
As businesses look to manage safe returns to workplaces, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) says line managers are best placed to communicate messages around worker protection while also being able to recognise and act on new hazards.
Its report, published today and called How to manage your people safely, includes the results of a YouGov survey of nearly 700 company decision-makers from a range of sectors about how health and safety is managed.
Of the respondents, 96 per cent agreed that line managers are important in ensuring the people who report to them are safe and healthy in the workplace, with 21 per cent saying investigations into accidents had shown a management failure was a contributing factor.
However, 19 per cent said their organisations don’t train line managers in health and safety, a cause for concern for IOSH. Most of these organisations are small or medium sized, with 250 employees or less.
Download the full report here: managing-your-people-safely
Research Report: Managing your people safely.
Findings from a new report by IOSH and YouGov reveal why businesses are giving their line managers health and safety training.
There is growing evidence in business of the returns from investment in workplace safety and health.
Organisations that invest are seeing a positive impact on their workers’ effectiveness and a range of business benefits, such as a positive, caring work culture, increased productivity and an enhanced reputation.
In this report, IOSH examine the importance of one group of people in an organisation that is critical in creating safe and healthy places of work – line managers. These employees, who carry the burden of responsibility for ensuring their teams are tasked safely and act safely, are on the front line of workplace safety and health.
How an employer makes sure they are equipped to play this role, a legal obligation in many countries, is one of the most important duties they hold.
Download the full report here: managing-your-people-safely
[Article sourced from the IOSH website here: https://iosh.com/more/news-listing/managing-your-people-safely/ and https://iosh.com/resources-and-research/resources/managing-your-people-safely/ ]
NEBOSH: Introducing Open Book Examinations
NEBOSH: Introducing Open Book Examinations
NEBOSH has undertaken the biggest transformation project in its history as they manage their response to COVID-19.
Today NEBOSH have announced that their first open book examination (OBE) will take place on Thursday 6 August 2020.
Open book examinations enable you to sit your NEBOSH assessment on your own, in your own home or another safe and suitable location where you can concentrate.
NEBOSH are introducing open book examinations for units NG1, IG1, NGC1 and IGC1.
These units are part of the National and International General Certificate, the National and International Certificate in Fire Risk Management, and the National and International Certificate in Construction Health and Safety.
You can find out more about these open book examinations on the NEBOSH website here: www.nebosh.org.uk/obe
Study a genuine NEBOSH qualification
Ensure you achieve a genuine NEBOSH qualification
NEBOSH’s internationally recognised qualifications are sought after by employers and learners around the world. Training towards these qualifications is delivered by a network of Learning Partners who are accredited by NEBOSH.
As a consequence of such recognition, fraudulent organisations may attempt to imitate genuine accredited NEBOSH learning partners and take your money without providing a genuine NEBOSH qualification. This undermines both the learning process and health and safety around the world.
What fake organisations will attempt:
- Use fake email addresses and contact numbers that are not related to a genuine learning partner or NEBOSH.
- Use incorrect logos and modified documents that are not related to a genuine learning partner or NEBOSH.
- Produce fake exam entry confirmations (hall ticket) and unit results notification (URN) for exams that do not exist.
- Offer fake certificates or parchments.
- Offer certificates and qualifications without the need for you to sit an exam or assessment.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
What you can do:
- Find out the organisation’s NEBOSH Learning Partner number and check with us that they are accredited.
- Visit the ‘Where to Study’ section on the NEBOSH website to ensure an organisation is accredited.
- Check for details like the email signature, email address, and contact number. Try to make sure they genuinely exist as an office.
- Research to gain an understanding of the service and training support that will be included within the fees.
- If in doubt, email info@nebosh.org.uk – our Customer Services team will be happy to help.
How to verify your qualification
NEBOSH takes fraud very seriously. If you have any concerns regarding the legitimacy of your NEBOSH qualification, you can submit all the details to verifications@nebosh.org.uk who will verify and respond with accurate information. We offer a free verification service to confirm if a parchment is genuine and whether or not an individual holds our qualifications.
In addition to this, all parchments issued for exams held from the 1 January 2020 benefit from a new modern design with additional security features, including a personalised QR code. This provides an instant overview and status of the parchment.
Any website or email not ending in @nebosh.org.uk is not a genuine NEBOSH platform.
For more information about the verification process and how to submit a request, please visit the verification policy page.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Original article published by NEBOSH here: https://www.nebosh.org.uk/our-news-and-events/our-news/study-a-genuine-nebosh-qualification/
Coronavirus Update – Friday 05 June 2020
Coronavirus Update – Friday 05 June 2020
Exciting News – Our Face-To-Face Training Courses are returning !
I’m pleased to be able to announce that NEBOSH, IOSH and Highfield (HABC) have stated that face-to-face training courses can now be reinstated.
All of our open classroom-based training courses starting on or after Monday 03 August 2020 are currently running as planned. Our full course listing can be found on our website here: https://www.woodward-group.co.uk/events
The health of our learners, tutors and support staff is of the highest importance to us, so on all of our courses we will ensure that the latest Government advice is strictly adhered to i.e. social distancing measures, limiting the number of individuals on the course where appropriate, frequent cleaning of the learning environment, provision of handwashing facilities and hand sanitiser, etc.
We are accepting bookings for these courses via the normal channels although email [to tom@woodwardgroup.co.uk] is presently the preferred method.
ELC Funded Training Courses
Please be aware that we received the following instruction from ELCAS on 21 May 2020:
“**UPDATED 20/05/20** Direction to Learning Providers in relation to COVID-19.
The Ministry of Defence is continuing to monitor guidance issued by Her Majesty’s Government on COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Our original direction was that, all face to face training should now cease until further notice. However, in line with the latest Government advice issued on GOV.UK we are content that face to face courses can be reinstated by learning providers as long as the latest Government advice is strictly adhered to i.e. social distancing measures, limiting the number of individuals on the course where appropriate, frequent cleaning of the learning environment and any equipment used between uses etc.
Additionally a full COVID-19 risk assessment in line with the HSE guidance is to be undertaken by Learning Providers delivering face to face courses. It is expected that Learning Providers abide by any other requirements stipulated by building owners where courses are delivered. We feel this is a proportional response thus continuing to reduce the risk whilst still enabling access to pre-scheduled learning.”
On this basis we are now accepting and confirming training course package bookings for ELC funded learners again.
We are in the process of contacting all ELC funded learners with provisional bookings and offering them confirmed places on their chosen course dates. If you have a provisional booking with us and you have not received an e-mail from us by 4:00pm on Friday 12 June 2020, please e-mail Tom on Tom@woodwardgroup.co.uk for an update.
Contacting Us
In-line with the current government guidance we have asked all our staff to work from home where possible. This means that our offices are only going to be open sporadically for the time being and we will only be able to answer telephone calls at those times.
The quickest and most reliable way to contact us will be to e-mail your existing Woodward contact, who will respond as soon as they are able.
If you don’t have a specific contact, please send any queries you may have by e-mail to our info@woodwardgroup.co.uk address and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Ongoing Updates
Should there be any further changes to our operations or procedures, we will keep this page updated with the most current information.
Stay safe and look after each other.
The end of an era – finished in style with a 100% pass rate !
The end of an era – finished in style with a 100% pass rate !
We delivered our final 2014 specification NEBOSH National General Certificate classroom-based course at Enegus, Workington in February/March 2020. I’m pleased to say that we finished in style with a 100% pass rate achieved across all three units.
Congratulations to all our learners on their amazing achievement !
All of our future NEBOSH National General Certificate courses will be delivered to the new 2019 course specification, but our high standard of delivery will remain exactly the same.
You can learn more about the new 2019 course specification here: https://www.woodward-group.co.uk/courses/national-general-certificate-occupational-safety-health
—————————————————————————————————
We had more good news later that week !
Our learners achieved a 100% pass rate on the NEBOSH Construction Certificate classroom-based course we delivered at Energus in Workington just before the lockdown started.
Congratulations to all of our learners on their excellent achievement !
We are planning to start delivering face-to-face training courses again in August. Appropriate control measures will be in place for the courses, including; social distancing measures, limiting the number of individuals on each course, frequent cleaning of the learning environment, provision of handwashing facilities and hand sanitiser, etc.
You can find all our planned course dates on our website here:
https://www.woodward-group.co.uk/events
One year on: celebrating the NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation qualification
In 2019 NEBOSH partnered with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to launch the NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation.
One year on and this one-day qualification is proving to be incredibly popular with existing and aspiring supervisors and safety representatives who want to reduce the number of incidents that happen within the workplace.
Designed to support individuals tasked with carrying out non-complex investigations, the NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation will give learners the skills they need to conduct an investigation unaided, and then produce and implement an action plan to help prevent a recurrence, or a more serious incident.
More than 1,000 people have already successfully completed this NEBOSH qualification. This means that over 1,000 people are learning lessons and making improvements so that organisations can avoid similar incidents occurring in the future.
Neil Fisher, Health Safety & Environment Practitioner at Network Rail has taken the NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation as well as eight other NEBOSH qualifications. He said: “The NEBOSH Introduction to Incident Investigation provides a baseline understanding to people carrying out investigations. It’s given me a globally recognised qualification, that’s assisted with the fundamentals of effective incident investigation.”
Further information about the NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation can be found here: https://www.woodward-group.co.uk/courses/nebosh-hse-introduction-to-incident-investigation
——————————————————————————
Article adapted from original on the NEBOSH website here: https://www.nebosh.org.uk/our-news-and-events/our-news/one-year-on-celebrating-the-nebosh-hse-introduction-to-incident/
Coronavirus Update – 30 March 2020
Coronavirus Update – Monday 30 March 2020
We have been in ongoing discussions with NEBOSH about the UK Government Guidance on the Coronavirus situation.
NEBOSH have taken the decision to postpone both the Certificate standard date examinations in June and the Diploma examinations sittings in July. The NEBOSH examination sittings after July are currently running as planned.
Our best estimate is that the UK government restrictions to combat the Coronavirus will continue in some form or other for the next 12 – 14 weeks.
To protect the health of our learners, tutors and support staff we are aligning with NEBOSH’s position and cancelling all our planned open/public classroom-based courses from now until Monday 03 August 2020.
We are in the process of contacting all the affected learners and offering them transfers to later course dates. If you believe your course booking has been affected by these cancellations and you have not received an e-mail from us by 4:00pm on Friday 04 April 2020, please e-mail Tom on Tom@woodwardgroup.co.uk for an update.
Our open classroom-based training courses starting on or after Monday 03 August 2020 are currently running as planned. We are accepting bookings for these courses via the normal channels although email [to tom@woodwardgroup.co.uk] is presently the preferred method.
ELC Funded Training Courses
Please be aware that we received the following instruction from ELCAS on 24th March 2020:
“Direction to Learning Providers in relation to COVID-19.
The Ministry of Defence is continuing to monitor guidance issued by Her Majesty’s Government on COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Our direction is that, all face to face training should now have ceased until further notice in line with the latest Government advice issued on GOV.UK You will appreciate this is an unprecedented situation. This decision has not been taken lightly.”
Our best estimate is that the UK government restrictions to combat the Coronavirus will continue in some form or other for the next 12 – 14 weeks.
Whilst we can provisionally book training course packages for ELC funded learners, we cannot confirm any course bookings or deliver any courses to them until the Ministry of Defence allows training courses to resume.
Contacting Us
In-line with the current government guidance we have asked all our staff to work from home where possible. This means that our offices are only going to be open sporadically for the time being and we will only be able to answer telephone calls at those times.
The quickest and most reliable way to contact us will be to e-mail your existing Woodward contact, who will respond as soon as they are able.
If you don’t have a specific contact, please send any queries you may have by e-mail to our info@woodwardgroup.co.uk address and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Ongoing Updates
Should there be any further changes to our operations or procedures, we will keep this page updated with the most current information.
Stay safe and look after each other.
NEBOSH launches new health and safety career guide
Do Something Great: Your Health and Safety Career
NEBOSH has created “Do Something Great: Your Health and Safety Career” a special, free guide for those thinking about a career in health and safety.
The 32-page guide draws on the knowledge of 24 of the world’s top health and safety thought leaders. Their advice spans everything from: how to tell if a health and safety career is for you, what qualifications to take and how to train whilst juggling a day job, through to what to look for in a good employer and how to get your first break. The experts also share their top tips for CVs, handling interviews plus the role of mentors and networking in career progression.
Do Something Great includes advice from experts working in some of the most high profile and influential health and safety roles, such as Karl Simons, Chief Health, Safety & Security Officer at Thames Water, Su Corrin, Senior Health, Safety and Risk Manager at The Football Association and James Pomeroy, Group Health, Safety, Environment and Security Director at Lloyd’s Register. It also carries tips from Claire Guise, Health and Safety Manager at Marie Curie and Rachel Butler, Group HSS&Q at DeTrafford.
For those keen to develop an overseas career, the guide also draws on international experts including Dr Abdulrahman Jawahery, President of Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co (GPIC), Flavio Noè, the former Head of HSE at Gardaland, Merlin Entertainments Group in Italy, Shermin Shali, HSEQ Manager in the United Arab Emirates, and Amitabh Bhattacharya, Lead HSE Specialist for Baker Hughes in India.
Ian Taylor, NEBOSH Chief Executive, comments: “People who’ve carved out fantastic careers for themselves have generously shared their experience, to help inspire and guide the next generation. For anyone contemplating health and safety as a career, or for those who’ve already started but are keen to get to the next level, it’s an invaluable read.”
Every year tens of thousands of people take a NEBOSH qualification to support their career aspirations. So NEBOSH decided to harness the expertise and insights of some of the most experienced and influential people from the sector to provide practical advice.
Ian Taylor adds: “Health and safety is an incredibly fulfilling career choice. After all there aren’t many jobs that have the potential to save lives! It increasingly encompasses environmental protection too and you can find job opportunities in almost every industry and country around the world. What’s more, it’s a role that’s becoming very influential within organisations; there are plenty of health and safety professionals with a seat on the Board. With so much to recommend it, we inevitably get asked by a lot of people for advice on how to get into a health and safety career. We wanted to help them by providing something really practical; tips from people who’ve been there and done it.”
https://www.nebosh.org.uk/i-am/an-aspiring-hse-professional/
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
As part of the NEBOSH Do Something Great campaign, they hosted a careers roundtable to share insights and advice on starting and progressing in the health and safety profession.
From getting started in health and safety, soft skills, CV do’s and don’t’s to mentors, interview questions and women in health and safety, the experts cover a huge range of topics to help budding professionals.
Woodward Alumni Newsletter – Autumn / Winter 2019
.