Winchester College is seeking a qualified Health & Safety Officer. If you have the requisite skills and are passionate about maintaining a safe and nurturing environment, we welcome your application.
About the College
Winchester College, one of the UK’s oldest and most esteemed educational institutions, is seeking a skilled Health and Safety Officer. Established in 1382, this historic boarding school for boys is set on 101 hectares of picturesque grounds, including the Fallodon Nature Reserve, shared hills, playing fields, and gardens. With a strong focus on fostering critical thinking, effective communication, independent thought, and intellectual curiosity, Winchester College offers a unique environment for both staff and its 700 students.
Position: Health & Safety Officer
Salary: £35,000 – £50,000 (gross) per annum
Job Type: Full Time
Location: Winchester
About the Role
At our school, health and safety are top priorities, and the postholder plays a crucial role in safeguarding pupils, staff, and visitors. This responsibility involves continuously reviewing, developing, and implementing health and safety processes and systems. Additionally, the postholder ensures comprehensive technical compliance and meticulous record-keeping in line with all relevant legislation and ISI regulations. This position reports directly to the Estates Bursar, with additional input provided to the Bursar.
Salary is £35,000 – £50,000 (gross) per annum, dependent on qualifications and experience.
Salary is paid monthly, in arrears, to a nominated bank account in 12 equal payments. Salary levels are reviewed on 1 September annually and this appointment will be next reviewed in September 2025.
The first six months of employment will be a probationary period. Regular reviews with the Health & Safety Officer / Manager’s line manager will take place over the probationary period with the opportunity to review conduct and performance, discuss progress, identify any areas for action and ensure that there is appropriate guidance and support in place to enable successful completion of the probationary period.
During the probationary period, the notice required by either party to terminate employment will be one month. Once employment is confirmed, the notice period will increase to three months.
Main Duties
Policy writing and reviewing
- Coordinate the day-to-day implementation of all agreed school safety policies and arrangements.
- Review and revise health and safety arrangements on a regular basis and ensure that, once approved by the Health and Safety Committee, all the arrangement documents are available for any employee to access.
- Liaise with external agencies, including the College’s safety consultant, Health and Safety Executive Inspectors, local Environmental Health Officers (for non-food related safety issues), local Fire Officers; and
- Support the school’s senior management in preparing for and take part in, from a Health and Safety perspective, ISI inspections.
Support
- Review and maintain current agreement with consultant firm to provide matter expert advice in support of Health & Safety Managers duties and engage in 3 years external high-level audit of the same.
- Produce and review with Estates Bursar regularly 3 years Health and Safety action plan arising from audit.
Auditing
- Meet with all Heads of Department (HODs) and Housemasters at least once annually, to review safety measures and paperwork within their area of control. Follow up each meeting with a written report advising on any improvements required to maintain overall compliance with both the legal framework and the school inspectors.
- Acting as the approved competent person at Winchester College
- With the support of the engaged external consultant, ensure the School is kept abreast of changes in Health and Safety legislation and implications of the same on its working environment and practices, polices etc.
- Maintain regular contact with colleagues and departments, providing guidance on Health and Safety, promoting awareness and good practices.
- Lead health and safety initiatives.
- As and when required, give advice and information on health and safety matters to employees at all levels. Keep up to date with changes in legislation to ensure the advice given is accurate. Offer advice in a constructive manner in order for employees to apply it effectively to their area.
Health and Safety Committee
- Act as Secretary of the Health and Safety Committee. Liaise with the Estates Bursar and the Bursar as Chairman to approve the agenda and subsequent minutes. Prepare all proposals and reports to be presented to the Committee as well as any other relevant paperwork.
- Meet termly with the Estates Bursar and a member of the Governing Body responsible for safety, who will in turn report onwards to the Governing Body.
Investigations and safety reports
- Notify any serious accidents, incidents and cases of industrial diseases, to the enforcing authority, in accordance with the requirements of the Reporting Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013.
- Carry out any required investigations and seek advice from a relevant professional as and when required.
Training
- Arrange and provide relevant safety training to all employees across the campus. Some training will be generic ‘in house’ training delivered by the postholder; other training will be delivered by a professional in their field. (Training that is specific to an individual department will be arranged by themselves, e.g. Tower Scaffold training).
First aid cover
- Ensure that arrangements for adequate and appropriate first aid cover are in place throughout the campus at all times. This is to include training and refresher training of employees in first aid to meet their contractual requirements.
School trips
- Review all school trip risk assessments and advise on any essential amendments to be put into action before the trip departs.
Health & Safety Budget
- Draw up in conjunction with the Estates Bursar an annual budget proposal for approval and justify any new expenditure.
Communications
- Prepare and keep up to date communications and all record keeping templates for managers to access from the Health & Safety staff portal page in order to maintain their records are accurate and compliant. Ensure all other documents on the page are current.
- Promote the use of the Health &Safety portal page.
Bursary safety
- Carry out the Bursary Fire Risk Assessment, Code of Practice (to share with Bursary HoDs), risk assessments and routine compliance checks.
Record keeping
- Maintain own tidy records and Health & Safety designated drive (depository for all information). Maintain the SMARTLOG record keeping platform and champion roll out to full school use.
Events
- Assist in establishing a system that allows for the review of companies/contractors’ statutory documentation including but not strictly limited to Risk Assessments, Method Statements, event site plans, emergency procedures and security detail.
- Establish a system to ensure compliance checks are completed during leave out periods.
Fire
- Assist with the review of Fire Risk Assessments.
- Review and assist with fire evacuation plans.
- Ensure that arrangements for adequate fire warden coverage are in place at all times. This is to include training and refresher training of employees in order to meet college requirements.
Qualifications
- Tech IOSH or Cert IOSH, preferred but not essential.
- Proven ability to translate Health and Safety legislation into practical and applicable working solutions.
- Experience in schools is helpful, but not essential.
- Experience of delivering Health and Safety training.
- Experience in construction would be helpful, but not essential.
- Would be considering or be working towards the NEBOSH Diploma.
Additional qualities and skills
- Understanding and awareness of compliance systems.
- Understanding and awareness of current and proposed Health and Safety legislation.
- Ability to prepare Fire Risk Assessments, reports and spreadsheets.
- Strong interpersonal skills/negotiator.
- Good and effective communication and administration skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Must be able to work without supervision and take responsibility for own work.
- Logical approach with great attention to detail.
- Analytical.
- Ability to work to deadlines and to prioritise work accordingly.
- A flexible and adaptable approach to duties undertaken.
- Proactive and will take initiative to resolve issues.
- High levels of energy, enthusiasm and reliability.
- IT literate.
- Be committed to the safety and welfare of children is essential, as well as equality of opportunity
Benefits
- Induction and Continuous Training and Development
- Pension and Life Cover
- Annual Leave
- Free staff lunches during term time.
- Access to Staff Counsellor.
- Use of sports facilities, including gym membership, tennis courts and in 2025, a new 25m swimming pool. Exercise classes, including spinning and circuits are also available.
- Tour of the College, with discounted rates available for booking venues within the school’s grounds for hospitality events.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Free access to an ongoing cycle of cultural, musical, theatrical and sporting talks and events.
- Employee Referral Scheme, with a reward of up to £250 for staff (subject to scheme conditions).
- Free Library membership with access to a range of online journals and magazines.
Required Documents
- CV/Resume
- Cover Letter
Application Process
Interested and qualified candidates should kindly CLICK HERE to learn more and apply
Application Deadline
September 2, 2024