Case Studies

Partington, you trained to be an engineer, but your life changed course nearly 15 years ago. Can you share what happened?
The 4 June 2010 was the day my life changed. I was working at a mine in the Northern Cape, South Africa in a role I was passionate about. Thirty minutes into my shift there was an explosion, and I sustained third degree burns to over 60% of my body. I spent the next 12 months in hospital recovering from my injuries. When I was finally discharged, my right arm had been amputated below the elbow and my left leg had been amputated above the knee due to serious infection. The year I spent in hospital was like “A long night that never sees the day” to paraphrase William Shakespeare. When I was discharged, I had two options… give up or restart my life and I chose the latter.

An accident like yours often leads to a reassessment of what is important. It sounds like this is what happened for you?
During my 12 months of pain and suffering in the hospital, there was one incident that acted as a beacon of hope. A fellow patient who was quadriplegic after being shot in the spine, sat in his wheelchair and demonstrated his happiness by cracking jokes. He filled the whole room with laughter despite his condition, which was evidently worse than mine. He couldn’t do much independently and needed assistance to eat, go to the bathroom and move around. This man planted a seed of hope in me. I stopped complaining and developed an attitude of gratitude as “If he can be happy, why should I not be?”

After my discharge I continued to struggle to walk and perform some tasks, but my rehabilitation had instilled the importance of exercise and practice which is how you make progress. In time I became better at everything, and this taught me that in life, everything is achievable if we are persistent and patient enough.

There is a church in my neighbourhood and one day as I sat there after a rigorous walk I started reflecting on my past experiences and the circumstances surrounding my accident. I realised I had to take some accountability for what had happened and searched for ways to turn a negative into a positive.  At that moment I heard a small voice saying to me “Partington, this is not about you, it’s about others. You can make the best out of this”. From that day I decided my purpose was to go around the world spreading the safety gospel, encouraging workers to take personal ownership of their safety.

Can you explain how you now use your own experience to try and make a difference for others?
I gained a range of useful insights from working as a mechanical engineering technician in a range of sectors including manufacturing, power-generation and mining. I have knowledge of technical and process principles and understand the impact that attitudes and culture can have in the workplace. Many people go through life thinking “It will never happen to me” and my accident is testimony that it can! If I can help remove this complacency, I can help ensure individuals work more safely.  I now use my experience to live my purpose by delivering motivational safety talks. I spread awareness. I share my experiences and encourage other workers to learn from the mistakes I made. Wherever I go, I am humbled to see people’s mindsets shift as they begin to take personal ownership of their safety. Safety is a personal investment that preserves you to enjoy those things you love doing. By speaking with passion and inspiration, I can change hearts and minds and make a difference to people’s lives.

In 2023 you chose to take the NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC). Can you tell us how you found it and how it helped you?
When I enrolled for the NEBOSH IGC, I was in search of a solid health and safety foundation. I was also looking for a qualification that was globally recognised and provided a practical approach to the subject. My NEBOSH IGC studies were interesting and enhanced my health and safety knowledge. It also helped me identify some subtle and underlying causes of my accident.

The scenario-based assessments encouraged me to take a holistic and practical approach to risk management which required deeper thinking than I had imagined. However, with persistent and consistent studying and practice, I managed to pass.

You have progressed on to the NEBOSH International Diploma. How have you found it and how has it helped you?
After passing the IGC, I wanted to enhance my knowledge further and obtain a higher qualification.  I chose the NEBOSH International Diploma because of its comprehensive curriculum and pragmatic approach to health and safety. Its global recognition and alignment with international best practices also appealed. I felt this would allow me to participate in health and safety matters internationally and would mean I could register with professional bodies like IOSH and SAIOSH. The global relevance should also open more doors and allow me to cast my net wider because having this qualification will enhance my credibility and confidence to stand in front of any audience right across the globe.

Whilst studying for the Diploma I have had to adopt the attitude that Steve Jobs referred to as “the ability to say No”. I learnt to say no to all the things that would have prevented me from focusing and because of that, my work-ethic improved. The DI1 and DI3 assessments were no walk in the park. They both needed me to contemplate and concentrate deeply, but with persistence and perseverance I managed to pass both units. This achievement taught me that setting yourself goals and telling yourself that you can, can defy all odds. I am now looking forward to completing the DI2 assessment which will be my final assessment for this qualification.

Have your disabilities had an impact on your studies and what adaptions have been made for you?
Aristotle (384BCE-322BCE) said “The ideal man bears the accidents of life with grace and dignity making the best of circumstances” and this quote has always resonated with me. The negative impact my physical disabilities have had on my studies have been real, but up to now I have been so focused on achieving my goal, I have not given it much thought. However, having only one hand does make typing challenging and I have had to hone my technique so I can do it faster. Walking on a prosthetic leg means it takes me longer to perform tasks so, during past exam periods, I have had some sleepless nights to make up time. When I sat my DI1 and DI3 assessments I adhered to the same exam conditions as other candidates because I didn’t ask for any adaptations. However, ahead of my DI2 assessment, a friend made me aware that NEBOSH has a special considerations policy designed to ensure that the qualifications they deliver are fair, inclusive and accessible to all learners. I contacted NEBOSH and the policy has allowed for some extra-time to be put in place which will relieve some of the pressures I have experienced previously.

How do you see the OSH profession changing in the future and have you noticed any emerging risks?
In my view, there should be more opportunities for OHS professionals in future. As more people become aware of the importance of health and safety, companies will not get business unless they take it seriously. This will create more opportunities for health and safety professionals in the future.

Due to the rising cost of living and the pressure caused by long working hours as people try to sustain themselves, I foresee a rise in mental health problems like stress and depression. As a result, there could be a greater emphasis on the health aspect of our roles in the future.

Technology including AI may help OSH practitioners to work more efficiently if used right.

Do you have any advice to help our profession get wider buy-in on the importance of health and safety?
My advice for our profession to get a wider buy-in would be to firstly create a “burning platform”, as suggested by Andy Mutch, a survivor of the Piper Alpha disaster (Mutch&Macdonald,1991). The burning platform would recognise and seek to proactively mitigate the impact of a lack-of or inadequate health and safety. Leaders in their respective areas would be required to show their commitment and set the tone for success.

Spreading awareness of the importance of health and safety through continuous learning, sharing of personal stories and training are key. Emphasising the benefits that follow from getting health and safety right and highlighting the negative impacts of failure is a good way to go. The moral, legal and financial reasons for health and safety should be explained and is something I do when I share my story.

• Moral reasons -Companies have a moral obligation to ensure the health and safety of their employees so that they return home safe and well. Workers also have a moral duty to protect their own and others health and safety.  When I look at my accident, it caused physical harm and brought an end to my career which meant I had to start over again. Whilst I recovered and found a new path, my family and I suffered uncertainty and financial hardship. Morally no one wants to inflict the consequences that can follow an accident on others. 

• Financial and legal reasons -When I had my accident I lost my income, had to sell almost everything I owned and had to accept help from my wider family and friends to get by. My employer lost revenue through downtime whilst the accident was investigated. When work could recommence, overtime had to be paid to make up for the lost time and damaged equipment had to be repaired or replaced which all increased costs. Accidents have a cost for wider society too. I cannot imagine the cost of my care considering I spent the whole year in hospital.

By including such practical examples in our conversations, we can get wider buy-in on the importance of health and safety, especially if the message is delivered with passion.

What are your long-term goals and how will you make them happen?

• Educational - Now that I have almost completed the NEBOSH International Diploma in Health and Safety, I am now eyeing the NEBOSH International Environmental Diploma. My goal is to attain both qualifications by the end of 2025. My passion for the environment comes from how it is directly linked to health and safety. As humans we are destroying our own habitat, and something needs to change. Long-term I would like to incorporate environmental aspects in my talks, and achieving this NEBOSH Environmental Diploma should help me achieve this. Once I have attained both NEBOSH Diplomas my goal is to then start studying for an MSc in Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Management. This will take discipline (“the ability to say No”), commitment, determination and persistence but I will do it!

• Professional - JT Foxx says, “It is not who you know but who knows you.” highlighting the importance of being visible and credible which you can use to have a positive impact. I intend to continue to share my story on a global stage to inspire and motivate others.  Networking and attaining globally recognised qualifications like those offered by NEBOSH will help me to raise my profile and open doors so I can continue to make a difference.

These are my long-term goals and with my own endeavours and the help of others I will achieve them and continue to make a difference by sharing my story.