When it comes to health and safety, every workplace needs to ensure that they adhere to health and safety regulations. Whether that workplace is an office in the centre of a big city or a construction site on the outskirts of a town, there are rules and regulations to ensure the safety of employees - and these will be focused upon in interviews.
As there are so many different types of workplaces, there are many variations of regulations and therefore specialised health and safety jobs for various workplaces.
Whatever health and safety jobs you are going to interview for, the most important thing is to know the rules and regulations for that particular area of expertise.
It may sound an obvious point, but when going for roles it is vital to find out where the role would be located and what areas are covered to make sure you are upholding the right rules in the correct locations.
At the start.
Your interview may begin with general questions about the things you are interested in and the type of person you are. These questions are designed to find out exactly how much passion and enthusiasm you have for the role and also to help you relax in the interview. You might want to talk about how you achieved any CSCS qualifications, for example.
Don’t just memorise facts.
It can be easy for health and safety officers to simply memorise the rules and regulations of the workplace in which they are employed, but without practical application and creative thought, these are simply statements. Don’t be surprised if you are asked questions about whether or not it is acceptable to disobey safety rules and to provide examples of when you have put your knowledge into practice.
When it comes to interview questions you may get asked for your opinion on various scenarios, so it is important to practice analysing a few examples before the interview.
The interviewer will want to know that you are capable of upholding health and safety regulations as well as sticking within the boundaries of working life. You will often be asked to provide examples to back up any past scenarios you talk about, so make sure you can give weight and outcomes to your examples.
You may also be asked how prepared you are to provide training to employees on the health and safety rules in their workplace. Again, you may have to give examples of having done this in the past.
Show enthusiasm for the job.
Health and safety regulations have evolved over the years so it is essential that you have kept up with the changes in the industry. You must also show a commitment to continuing this practice in the future.
Some employers may ask about the history of health and safety laws, how they have evolved and whether you think that the changes have provided better protection for employees.
You should be familiar with the changes in health and safety laws and any specific terminology within the industry.
When it comes to your career and the application of health and safety laws you will be expected to give examples of varying roles and how you have dealt with these situations. You should be able to describe examples of instances where you have provided solutions to easy or difficult problems.
