Health & Safety Manager

About Us

We're an established, family-run civil engineering contractor with over 40 years' experience, specialising in sewer connections, excavation works, and site drainage. Operating across London and the South East, we deliver projects ranging from £3k to £3m for commercial and domestic clients, with a strong focus on quality and client loyalty.

As a close-knit, fast-paced team, we're looking for a dedicated Health & Safety Manager to join us and play a pivotal role in maintaining our excellent safety record while supporting our continued growth.

The Role

This is a hands-on HSE leadership position with real impact. You'll be responsible for developing and enforcing all health, safety, and environmental policies across multiple live construction sites, with a specialist focus on:

Excavation & tunnelling (shaft and heading, open cut/trench works)

Confined spaces (manhole entry, live sewer connections)

Lifting operations and heavy plant/machinery

You'll split your time between office-based work and regular site visits, working closely with our Contracts Manager, Scheduling Manager, site operatives, and clients. This role offers genuine scope for development within a growing family business.

Key Responsibilities

Safety Systems & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with construction safety regulations and confined spaces/excavation standards
• Create, review and maintain site-specific RAMS for high-risk activities
• Develop and continuously improve company-wide HSE Management Systems
• Manage plant, equipment and vehicle fleet testing/calibration records

Risk Assessment & Site Inspections

• Conduct proactive safety audits across all active projects
• Identify and mitigate hazards including trench collapse, toxic gases, traffic management, and biological risks
• Monitor on-site compliance and enforce safety standards

Training & Culture

• Deliver effective H&S training (inductions, confined spaces, excavation safety, PPE protocols)
• Lead toolbox talks and safety briefings
• Champion a positive, preventative safety culture across the organisation
• Maintain training records and qualification tracking

Incident Management

• Investigate all accidents, near-misses and incidents to determine root causes
• Manage RIDDOR reporting and regulatory compliance
• Develop corrective action plans and compile safety performance reports

Stakeholder Liaison

• Liaise with clients, principal contractors, utility companies and regulatory bodies (HSE, water authorities)
• Lead H&S accreditations (CHAS, Constructionline Gold)
• Support tender submissions with pre-qualification documentation
• Stay current with legislation and industry best practices

What We're Looking For

Essential:

• 4+ years in a dedicated H&S role within civils/groundworks
• Specific experience in sewer construction, excavation, confined spaces, tunnelling and lifting operations
• NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent professional safety qualification)
• CSCS card
• UK Driving Licence
• Strong IT skills (Microsoft Office suite)

Desirable:

• Degree in Health & Safety or related field
• Grad IOSH
• Confined Space Certificate
• TWSTC (Temporary Works Supervisor Course)
• Lifting AP (Appointed Person)

Your Profile

You're a self-motivated, proactive professional who can hit the ground running with minimal supervision. You demonstrate:

Perseverance in maintaining zero H&S stoppages

Quick thinking and ability to make an impact from day one

Calm under pressure with excellent judgement (including authority to stop unsafe work)

Strong communication and coaching skills to drive cultural change

Methodical organisation and exceptional attention to detail

Flexibility and adaptability in a fast-paced, small team environment

Genuine interest in process improvement and leveraging technology