Case Studies

Paddy, can you tell us a little about your school days?
I never really enjoyed school or valued academia growing up. I did “okay”, but I could’ve done much better had I focussed more and applied myself. I was always the ‘Class Clown’ and school was more of a social event for me as opposed to an opportunity to prepare for the world of work. I wanted the back-and-forth banter with my friends much more than I wanted to knuckle down and work. Teachers would always say “you have so much potential, if only you worked as hard as you played”.

During my time in school, I got in to trouble frequently because of my attitude to education. Having been given an ultimatum by my Mum, I joined the Army Cadet Force at the age of 15. This gave me purpose, allowed me to develop new skills and helped me reach the decision that I wanted to join the Armed Forces. I left school with average grades and a fixation on joining the Royal Marines. When I failed to meet the required standard to be accepted, I found I had nothing to “fall back” on.

I suppose looking back, I maybe should have prioritised my education, as more opportunities would have been open to me if I had. But equally, had I not made the decisions I made (for better or worse) during that time of my life, I almost certainly wouldn’t be where I am today.

When you entered the world of work, what sort of roles did you secure?
When it comes to employment, I have always worked hard and been confident and outgoing. Having left school with average grades, I didn’t have those pieces of paper that demonstrated to prospective employers how good I could be. So, I have had to show my worth in other ways, such as through my work ethic, commitment, leadership ability, and determination.

When I first left school, I worked at a car wash before a friend helped me secure a sales position in a call centre. I went onto work as a Recruitment Consultant supporting temporary workers. It became clear that I was good at sales and did well in this field, but I never really enjoyed it, and in time I decided I wanted a completely different challenge. I secured a role in construction in September 2017 as a ‘Mate’ with Edge Ventilation Ltd, a mechanical ventilation contractor. This was the start of me finding the rewarding career I enjoy today.

When did you decide that you wanted health and safety to be your career and what made it appeal to you?
In Edge Ventilation, I had found a company that I loved, filled with fabulous colleagues and the bonus was my work was no longer restricted to one desk. The final piece of the jigsaw was to find a role that I could be equally passionate about. I was fortunate that my boss, Rikki Webster, recognised early on that I had skills that the organisation could harness, and he wanted to help me find my niche. I was promoted to Project Co-Ordinator, which meant I supported Project Managers by completing administrative tasks to help ensure jobs ran smoothly. This role showed me how important health and safety is, especially in construction, and how it permeates through every aspect of a business. It is central to an organisation’s commercial, operational, and corporate performance. I found it fascinating and decided that with hard work and dedication, I could make it my career.

What did you do to make your dreams a reality?
During my time with Edge Ventilation, I had gained experience of its operations and had been involved in the development of procedures. This meant I had a good understanding of the business and was in a good position to transition to a health and safety role. Rikki recognised that by supporting me to learn new skills, I could grow in a way that I would find rewarding and that would positively impact the business.

Edge Ventilation has funded my learning, allowed me to take time off to study and given me opportunities to put into practice what I have learnt. It’s a great company to be part of and really showcases what it means to be a team. I’m very lucky.

Being a father of two beautiful children and a husband to an amazing woman has acted as a massive motivator to me throughout this period of growth. It’s their support and my desire to make our life the best that it can be that spurs me on when I find things challenging.

So, I suppose it is my work ethic, my employer’s ability to see my potential and the support of my family that have combined to make my dream a reality.

Can you tell us a little bit about your role and responsibilities at Edge Ventilation Ltd?
As Edge Ventilation Ltd.’s HSEQ Manager, I am part of the organisation’s senior leadership team alongside the Managing Director and Operations Director.
My role is a very varied and rewarding one. I help to develop strategy, policies, procedures, safety campaigns and complete risk profiling for the organisation. I am responsible for site inspections, audits, safety tours, accident investigation, supply chain qualification, quality management, training, environmental management, risk assessments and method statements. I am also the first point of contact for any HSEQ matters my colleagues need help with. I have a lot of responsibility within the business and it’s a role I take seriously because it helps keep our people safe.

The fact that a health and safety professional is part of the senior leadership team, coupled with the way my colleagues respect me and value my work, demonstrate the company-wide commitment to HSEQ performance that has been built at Edge Ventilation.

How did you choose which health and safety qualifications to take and how you wanted to study?
I did a lot of research before deciding that NEBOSH Certificates were a great match for me. I wanted qualifications that would give me a broad understanding of health and safety, whilst being relevant to the construction industry specifically. I decided to start with the General Certificate, before completing the Construction and Fire Safety certificates.

Once I had made this decision, I then needed to select my training provider and being a father of two young children, how I studied was a key factor for me. I chose RRC International’s “Live Online” courses which are delivered by qualified and experienced tutors online. This allowed me to study and revise in my own time at home planning my studies around work and family commitments.

Were you apprehensive after your previous experience of formal education?
Yes, very. I second guessed myself a lot as I had lost confidence in my abilities. I hadn’t taken any formal studies since leaving school and I was worried if I was cut-out to do these qualifications.

I failed my first National General Certificate assessment, and this was a massive disappointment. I was angry, upset and felt I’d let everyone down who’d been so supportive of me. It was a very difficult couple of weeks as I questioned whether I would ever be able to pass.

However, I am very blessed to have an amazing support network who all encouraged me to keep going. Ultimately, I set aside my doubts, booked my re-sit, and pressed on with my studies. I went on to pass my General, Construction and Fire Certificates, strengthening my knowledge and confidence in the process.

The moral of the story is: if everything was easy, there’d be nothing worth working hard for.

How has attaining these NEBOSH Certificates helped you?
My NEBOSH success has given me more confidence in my abilities and validation that this profession is where I belong. My studies reinforced and enhanced the knowledge I already had, and I have used this to make further safety improvements at Edge Ventilation. I can advise on best practice, and our safety culture has been strengthened, which has had a positive impact for the business commercially and operationally.

My NEBOSH Construction Certificate also allowed me to successfully apply for the CSCS Academically Qualified Persons card. I have been able to use it to gain access to construction sites, so I can help improve health and safety in these high-risk environments.

I was also able to broaden my network of like-minded professionals through my studies. It is great to be able to share experiences, best practice, and have people to run ideas by whilst on this journey.

What is next for you, in terms of your professional development?
I am excited to be embarking on my NEBOSH National Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals with RRC International in the Summer of 2023.

I am planning to upgrade my IOSH membership from Student to Affiliate/Technical membership and my NEBOSH General Certificate will help me achieve this. I also plan to apply for IIRSM membership at Associate level.

Once I have completed my Health and Safety Diploma I plan to start studying for the Environmental Diploma and will then look at a Master’s degree. I have caught the studying bug!

Having a mentor who can be really helpful at the start of a new career. Do you have a mentor, how did you connect and how has it helped you?
Yes, I have a mentor, Sarah, who I connected with after applying for IOSH student membership and becoming part of its Essex Branch. We have monthly meetings and its great to have someone to bounce ideas off in relation to my professional development and career goals.

I have also joined various groups on LinkedIn. Having mentors when you are starting out in the OSH Profession is valuable as it can be daunting at times (I know I felt that way for sure!). Being able to talk to other OSH professionals who want to help you and see you succeed, makes it a whole lot easier than going it alone. It’s a fantastic community and one that I am both privileged and proud to be a part of.

What do you enjoy most about your HSE career?
The people! I get to work collaboratively with people from different walks of life every day to achieve a common goal. It's a people-centric profession, and to know that your work contributes to colleagues going home safely to their families is more rewarding than you could ever imagine. It is a good feeling!

What advice would you give to someone at the start of their H&S career?
I would say there is no such thing as a stupid question! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with knowing your limitations and asking for help.

I have found that the OSH community is a large and welcoming one. I have never felt afraid or judged when asking questions in forums, via message or in person. Everyone’s experience is different and we’re all aiming for the same common goal - to safeguard the health, safety, and wellbeing of those around us.

Continue to ask questions, continue to challenge, and continue to learn. These are key pieces to the puzzle and ones that I have used almost daily since moving into this rewarding profession.