When applying for a job, probably the last thing you are thinking about is Health and Safety. But the all-knowing Caroline, our team’s Health & Safety lead, is here to give you a brief low down on what you need to know.

Lets face it, it is not the most dazzling subject matter and you are probably concentrating on what transferable and relevant skills that you have gained to secure the job.  You would be right to do this but please, once you have secured that role, you really should consider health and safety a little bit, at least enough to keep you and your colleagues well and secure… or healthy and safe!  (It is almost as if the name has been thought through!)

I could throw lots of policy information at you, like the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work regulations 1999, and that well known page-turner, the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, but I will let you wait until you start your job to encounter these gems, as your employer should build Health and Safety training into your induction process.  In fact, it is the law that every employer provides whatever training, equipment, PPE (personal protective equipment) and all the information necessary to make sure that you are and feel safe at work. As I said, most employers include this in the initial induction training when you start, normally in the first week of employment, but unfortunately, many of them will just sit you down with the information and expect you to plough through it! Whether they are paper or digital documents, however tempting it is to skim read through it and make sure you just about pass the quiz at the end, I really would advise you to take in as much as you can, for your sake and for the sake of your colleagues, as they should not be put any more at risk that you should and you all have a responsibility to each other.

As an absolute minimum, ensure you know who your Health and Safety coordinator/representative is, where you gather in the event of a fire alarm, where the emergency exits are, who you can talk to if you have any concerns and where you can locate the Health and Safety documents, for when you realise you do actually need to know this stuff!

Caroline, Health and Safety guru of our team.

If your employer does not offer this training, then ask them for it. They cannot refuse, they will be breaking the law if they do!

At any point of your employment, if you see something that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, or you see unnecessary risks being taken, report it to your Health and Safety coordinator, and do not forget this:

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO FEEL SAFE AT WORK,
& YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY SO IF YOU DO NOT FEEL SAFE!

If you’re interested in finding out a bit more about Health & Safety in the workplace, head here on the Careers & Enterprise Hub, where you can find more information, videos, explainers and advice.

Getting further support from The Careers and Enterprise Team at CCCU

You can get ongoing careers support via the following ways:

• Email careers@canterbury.ac.uk
• Log onto the Careers and Enterprise Online Hub to access resources such as CV360, Interview Simulator and more. Our Live Chat function is also available for you to speak to us 10-12 and 2-4 Monday to Friday
• Check out our YouTube channel for more advice and signposting
• Don’t forget our workshops – all online and free and for all current students and recent alumni (up to 3 years post-graduation).