What do you do for your day job?
For the past 4 years I’ve worked for the Ford Motor Company as the Senior Safety Engineer supporting their logistics and general services areas
What is a typical day’s work for you?
There is no such thing as a typical day! Yesterday was spent looking at FLT loading a new engine type onto a trailer designed for Turkish roads, followed by an issue on the jetty, next was onto packaging designs for engine components so we can transport them safely across Europe, a trip to a supplier and then trying to educate a contractor on what a risk assessment is ! Another day it could be an accident on the M25, a boiler installation or a review of training of BA equipment for our in house fire team.
How did you become a member of the London Safety Group committee?
My old boss (Liz Ferrier) was on the group and I was co-opted on before I knew any better.
What benefits do you feel that the Group bring for you?
The most beneficial thing for me is the friends I have made along the way, the fact that I have a group of like-minded individuals that I can let off steam and have a rant with is better than paying for therapy.
What do you find the most interesting part of your role within the Group?
It gives me an excuse to talk to complete strangers without scaring them (hopefully).
What presents the most challenges?
People expecting me to be the Wikipedia of Safety – with such a broad scope of work there is no way I can be an expert in everything , I just wish some people could be more understanding that sometimes I need to take some time to give them a useful answer.
What’s you health and safety ‘soap-box’ subject?
Idiot practitioners who have no common sense. I see my job as saying “yes, we can work together to find a safe way to do that” not “the computer says no”.
What is your one piece of advice for a practising Safety Professional?
Look at safety as an integral part of the business , not a stand-alone component. You can make the best product in the world but if it’s too expensive to produce then there is no business.
One piece of advice for someone thinking of becoming a Health and Safety Professional?
Get a real job first. You need to have life experience to draw upon for solutions, not everything can be found in a text book or on Google.
Finally tell us something personal about you that’s not related at all to Health & Safety …
I can’t count to 10!!
