HM Specialist Inspector – Major Hazards Risk Assessment (CEMHD Band 3/ SEO)

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We look forward to receiving your application. 

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.  

HSE’s mission is protecting people and places with the vision of helping everyone lead safer healthier lives [Protecting people and places: HSE strategy 2022 to 2032]

Within HSE, the Chemicals, Explosives & Microbiological Hazards Division (CEMHD) regulates health and safety across onshore major hazard industries including chemical manufacturing, explosives manufacture and storage, and the handling of biological agents. This is an exciting time to join CEMHD with opportunities to develop and shape how we work in the future. 

The Major Hazards Risk Assessment Unit (MHRAU) within CEMHD is responsible for contributing to the regulation of onshore major hazard sites, with a focus on assessing major hazard risks. Working with other parts of Government, including Scotland and Wales, we deliver statutory advice on development around existing major hazard installations and major accident hazard pipelines to local authorities, duty holders, developers and the public at large.  MHRAU also provides statutory advice on plans to develop new businesses holding significant quantities of flammable or toxic substances. Maintaining public safety assurance in the land use planning system in relation to major hazards is central to the activities of the unit. Our advice helps to prevent major accidents, and if they were to occur to mitigate the consequences. The Unit undertakes these statutory activities on over 3000 major hazard onshore installations (including pipelines) under the following provisions: 

• Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations 2015 (COMAH). 
• The Planning (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2015 (Hazardous Substance Consent, HSC). 
• The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015.
• The Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996. 

From day one, you will be supported by your manager and colleagues to understand your role in HSE, in addition to supporting your continuing professional development. As this is a Specialist Inspector role you will undergo a Specialist Training Programme (STP).  This is a two-year training programme which includes in depth legal training and assessment on occupational health and safety during your probationary period.  You will be required to complete and pass the full programme. There will also be further technical training relating to regulation of major hazards. 

Your role will include: 

• Evaluating the technical risk to people associated with onshore major hazard installations. 
• Providing advice on the risks arising from onshore major hazard installations and pipelines to a range of stakeholders, including industry, local planning authorities and other government departments; 
• Represent HSE at LUP appeals and inquiries and at technical gatherings of fellow professionals and other stakeholders; 
• Maintain technical policy topics, related methodologies, hazard assessment or quantified risk assessment tools, and supporting guidance;
• Commission science and oversee its delivery.

At HSE, we are proud to be able to offer our people the opportunity to work in a hybrid way which combines working from home and the office. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your allocated office will be your contractual place of work. There will be a requirement to travel to the office for some activities for example, collaborative working, supporting colleagues and training.  If hybrid working is suitable for you, then we would encourage you to consider if the commute from home to the office is a feasible distance to travel before making an application. Please note that if you are successful, hybrid working will be discussed prior to taking up the post.  

Please note that this role will involve occasional travel to dutyholder’s sites within England, Scotland and Wales.

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 4 days per week.

HSE is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive working environment and we particularly welcome female applicants, as they are currently underrepresented in this discipline within HSE. 

Responsibilities  

We are looking for people who can:

• analyse complex technical information and identify underlying issues;
• summarise and effectively communicated their findings to different stakeholders including colleagues, site technical staff, industry bodies, senior managers and other non technical audiences in a manner that ensures the issues are understood; 
• influence these stakeholder to bring about improvements. 

To be effective in this role you will need to: 

• have good communication skills to influence change at all levels in the organisations we regulate;
• be able to evaluate technical information to identify underlying gaps and deficiencies related to risk management;
• make relevant recommendations and take the necessary actions based on the evaluation of the available evidence;
• be able to organise and plan work, taking responsibility for delivering expected outcomes on time and to the required standards;
• be able to work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, maintaining positive professional working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders;
• be able to write technical reports and communicate complex technical information in a clear and concise way for non-technical audiences.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• A good working knowledge of, and the application of your technical skills to, the major hazards industry (for example preparing safety cases or safety reports).
• Experience of using current quantified risk assessment techniques, methodologies and tools in the assessment of major accident risks.
• Knowledge and experience of identifying and assessing major accident hazards, including likelihood and extent and severity.
• A good understanding of the management of major accident hazards, including the application of the principles of inherent safety, effective risk reduction processes and the principles of ALARP [reducing risk to as low as reasonably practicable]

• Learning and development tailored to your role 
• An environment with flexible working options 
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity, with a number of staff networks 
• Competitive rates of pay
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 27.9%, far more than in the private sector. 
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career 
• Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
• 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays and 1- day Civil Service privilege leave 
• Competitive Parental leave benefits: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, and paternity leave of 2 weeks full pay.

Job contact :

• Name : Caron Maloney
• Email : caron.maloney@hse.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk