Somerset Council
Safety Officer
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Closing date: 6 September 2026
Interview date: 16/17 September 2026 (Including a 10-15 minute presentation, further information given at invitation to interview)
Salary: Grade 11, ranging from £32,597 - £36,363 per annum
Contract: Permanent.
Hours: Full-time role - 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday during standard office hours. However, occasional work outside normal working hours may be required to meet business needs.
Location: Flexible and hybrid working arrangements across various locations in Somerset.
Join Somerset Council and play a vital role in protecting people and supporting safe, resilient services across a diverse organisation. From advising managers and delivering training to leading inspections, audits, and incident investigations, your work will have a direct impact on the wellbeing of employees, service users, and the wider public.
We are looking for someone who can bring some experience or have an interest in working within the construction field, alongside an awareness of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM). This will enable you to support effective monitoring, provide proportionate advice, and help services meet their statutory duties.
You’ll be involved in varied and meaningful work; supporting service improvements, contributing to safety initiatives, influencing policy, and responding to real-time challenges across council services. As part of a collaborative and supportive environment that values continuous development, you’ll have a real opportunity to grow your career while making a difference in local communities.
Role Summary
As our Safety Officer, you will help ensure health and safety practices are effectively embedded across Somerset Council, enabling services to operate safely and compliantly. You’ll provide expert advice and practical support to managers and teams, helping them identify and manage risk in line with legal and organisational requirements. Through inspections, audits, training, and investigations, you’ll play a key role in creating safe environments and promoting a positive safety culture.
What you'll do - Key Responsibilities
- Provide expert health and safety advice and guidance to managers, teams, and services to support compliance and safe working practices.
- Carry out inspections and audits across council services, identifying risks, highlighting good practice, and recommending improvements.
- Investigate accidents and incidents, establishing root causes and supporting services to implement effective controls.
- Deliver and support health and safety training sessions, briefings, and presentations to a wide range of stakeholders.
- Respond to requests for support and provide practical solutions to manage risk and improve safety outcomes.
- Contribute to the development of policies, guidance, and safe systems of work to strengthen health and safety management.
- Support services with planning for off-site activities and responding to emergency situations where required.
- Work collaboratively with internal and external partners, representing the service and supporting wider safety initiatives.
- Promote a positive safety culture across the organisation, influencing and supporting continuous improvement in health and safety practices.
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What We’re Looking For – Knowledge, Experience and Skills
Essential
- Sound knowledge of health and safety legislation, guidance, and best practice, with understanding of risk assessment and incident investigation processes.
- Knowledge of auditing and inspection methodologies, and how to monitor compliance in practice.
- Awareness of health and safety management systems and how to embed a positive safety culture.
- Experience of providing practical health and safety advice and guidance to managers or services.
- Experience of delivering training, briefings, or presentations on health and safety topics.
- Experience of carrying out inspections, audits, and incident investigations, with the ability to identify root causes and recommend controls.
- Ability to analyse risks, interpret findings, and recommend practical, proportionate solutions.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build effective working relationships.
- Good organisational skills, with the ability to manage a varied and competing workload.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and commitment to maintaining professional competence (e.g. IOSH CPD).
- Recognised health and safety qualification (e.g. NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent) and membership of a relevant professional body (or working towards).
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Desirable
- Knowledge of health and safety requirements in education or public sector settings, including off-site activities and young people.
- Understanding of Employers’ and Public Liability processes and their link to health and safety practice.
- Awareness of procurement and contract-related health and safety considerations.
- Experience of working within a complex or multi-service organisation (e.g. local authority), including engagement with a range of stakeholders.
- Experience of working with enforcement bodies or supporting legal and insurance-related processes.
- Experience of contributing to the development of policies, guidance, or codes of practice.
- Ability to deliver engaging training and presentations, with confidence to challenge and intervene where there is a risk of serious harm.
- Strong report writing skills, including drafting technical documents, guidance, or policies.
- Higher level health and safety qualification (e.g. NEBOSH Diploma) and/or Chartered or Graduate IOSH membership.
- Training or teaching qualification to support delivery of learning.
Additional Information
- Permanent, full-time role - 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday during standard office hours. However, occasional work outside normal working hours may be required to meet business needs.
- 30 days’ annual leave, plus Bank Holidays.
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements across various locations in Somerset.
- You may be required to travel between work sites during the working day.
- Opportunities for professional development to further enhance technical skills and competencies.
- Regretfully, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. We are only able to proceed with candidates who already have the right to work in the UK without the need for VISA sponsorship.
For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Sharon Larkman, Principal Safety Officer, on 01823 355195 or sharon.larkman@somerset.gov.uk
A full job description will be provided to shortlisted candidates or on request via recruitment@somerset.gov.uk
Job ref: 1034/NG
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