Health and Safety Assistant
6 days ago
Barnet
Are you an organised, proactive administrator with an interest in health and safety who wants a role with real variety and real impact? Do you want to join a supportive team that takes a pragmatic, enabling approach to safety, focused on making things work, not just ticking boxes? If so, this could be the role for you.\nAs our Health and Safety Assistant, you will provide high-quality administrative, coordination and compliance support to the Health and Safety team across all College sites. You will be a key point of contact for H&S enquiries, maintain our records and compliance systems, coordinate training and first aid provision, support incident reporting, manage the approvals process for trips and events, and assist with audits and inspections.\nThis is a role with genuine breadth. Current priorities include strengthening health and safety systems and reporting, supporting estates developments and campus improvements, and embedding a proactive safety culture across curriculum and support areas. You will gain exposure to a wide variety of risk environments, from workshops and construction activities to events and student-facing settings, giving you excellent practical experience and the opportunity to develop real skills in a complex, fast-moving organisation.\nAbout Barnet and Southgate College\nWe change lives, empower individuals and connect communities.\nWe are an ambitious, forward-thinking further education college in North London, proud to serve diverse communities across Barnet, Southgate and beyond. Our 2030 Vision is bold: to be a leading provider of learning and skills development, fostering exceptional educational experiences, driven by innovation, collaboration and excellence.\nYou will be joining a small, collaborative Health and Safety team that works closely across the College and is valued for its approachable, can-do culture. The team promotes a positive, pragmatic approach to health and safety, one that focuses on enabling teaching, learning and innovation while keeping people safe. Your contribution will be visible, your direction clear, and the people around you genuinely supportive.\nWhat You'll Be Doing\n * Administration and coordination: Act as first point of contact for routine H&S enquiries, maintain accurate records and compliance tracking systems, and support the development and communication of policies, procedures and risk assessments.\n * Incidents and reporting: Record and monitor accidents, incidents, near misses and first aid reports, support investigations, assist with RIDDOR notifications and produce routine and ad hoc performance reports.\n * Trips, visits and events: Administer and coordinate the approvals process for College trips, visits, events and activities, ensuring all documentation (risk assessments, insurance, consent, travel and supervision arrangements) is complete and compliant.\n * Training and competency: Coordinate H&S training programmes including mandatory and statutory training (First Aid, Fire Safety), maintain training records and monitor renewal dates to ensure ongoing compliance.\n * First aid and fire safety: Maintain registers of First Aiders and Fire Wardens across all sites, coordinate rotas, monitor first aid supplies and arrange training and recertification with approved providers.\n * Audits and inspections: Assist with scheduling internal and external audits and inspections, track actions to completion and support the continuous improvement of H&S systems.\n * Governance and meetings: Provide administrative support to H&S Committees, including preparing agendas, taking and distributing minutes, and monitoring actions.\n * DSE and procurement: Support Display Screen Equipment processes, process purchase orders and maintain records of H&S-related expenditure.\nWhat You'll Bring\nEssential\n * A Level 2 qualification or equivalent, including English and Maths\n * Experience of an administrative role in a busy office environment\n * Practical experience in applying health and safety administrative procedures\n * A working knowledge of health and safety principles and legislation\n * Strong IT skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook\n * Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise a varied workload to meet deadlines\n * High level of accuracy and attention to detail\n * Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to work with staff, students, suppliers and contractors at all levels\n * Ability to take initiative and apply a solution-focused approach\n * Willingness to travel and work across all main College campuses\n * Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and safeguarding\nEven Better If You Have...\n * Experience in an educational or public sector environment\n * At least 2 years of recent and relevant experience in a similar H&S support role\n * Understanding of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related legislation\n * IT Level 2/3 qualification or willingness to work towards one\n * Experience producing clear reports and accurate meeting minutes\n * Access to own transport\nPotential Interview Dates\nWeek commencing 8th June 2026.\nOur Employee Pledge\nThe College offers employees a generous holiday allowance of 31 days annual leave for our support staff plus bank holidays. Pro Rata'd for part time employees. We also offer an attractive package of optional benefits for employees to take advantage of - please see below a list of our current staff benefits available at the College. Benefits include:\n- Annual Season Ticket Loans: We offer permanent or contract staff with a minimum of a 12 month contract the option to purchase an annual season ticket loan without the big financial hit in one go! A season ticket loan will spread the cost over the course of a year by using the salary sacrifice scheme, this helps with your finances and is paid back monthly through your salary.\n- Cycle to Work Scheme: The scheme is an incentive for staff, offering tax free bikes through bike shops and is run by Cyclescheme Ltd. You can get a tax-free bike, which for most people means they save around 32% of the cost for a new bike!\n- Employee Support Helpline: The Employee Assistance Helpline can be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They provide you and your family with counselling and advice, covering a variety of personal or workplace issues. It is free to use and all calls are confidential.\n- Eye Tests for DSE Users: The College will refund the cost of regular eye tests for staff that use Display Screen Equipment regularly as part of their duties.\n- Flu vouchers: We offer established staff a free flu vaccination voucher to take to a large range of local high street pharmacies.\n- Gym Facilities: Our Sports Centre at Southgate Campus is available for all staff with cardio, strength and conditioning equipment. The 2-floor gym is free for members of staff to use Monday to Friday within term time.\n- Hair Salon Services and Beauty Treatments: A range of competitively-priced hairdressing services are accessible at our Colindale Campus. Regularly providing special staff offers which is convenient during lunch hours or after work.\n- High Street Discounts: Discount for teachers is a shopping benefits website for staff which gives access to fantastic savings on leading retail brands, plus lots of great special offers! We also have staff discount available with local high street stores within walking distance of our three main campuses
