Case Studies

I understand you had an established career in maintenance before moving into health and safety. What motivated you to make the switch?
Yes, that is true. After studying electrical engineering at university my early career was spent in maintenance. Immediately prior to joining my current employer, I was the Head of Engineering for a hospital which had 272 beds across its 19-acre site. For my first four years with Vodafone Group, I continued to hold facilities and maintenance positions. Then in 2009 the company formed a new safety function for its India operations. The prospect of being part of this new team from the outset really appealed to me, and I felt my facilities and maintenance experience would be relevant.

My key motivation for switching to health and safety was the prospect of being able to positively impact people’s lives every day through my work. Health and safety is a huge force for good both in the workplace and in wider society. Knowing that by driving positive change, I help keep colleagues safe and well continues to be a source of immense pride.

How did you manage to make the transition from maintenance to health and safety?
My maintenance background meant it was quite easy for me to transition to the newly formed health and safety function. Our initial focus was to design the safety processes and protocols for the engineering and infrastructure teams and I had first-hand experience of the challenges faced. I found I really enjoyed my new focus and felt I was making a difference. I wanted to keep learning and was keen to take a technical safety qualification that would complement the knowledge I had gained previously through practical experience.

You completed your NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety in 2013.

• Why did you choose this qualification?

Vodafone Group is a UK based organisation which is very supportive of its employees’ learning and development. The safety directors and managers at group level encouraged us to take relevant qualifications that would help us in our roles. I decided that the NEBOSH International General Certificate was the perfect starting point for me as the course content covered everything I needed and would be helpful in my role.

• Did you enjoy your studies?
  Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed the course and found I applied what I had learnt every day. I worked hard and passed the International General Certificate with credit on my first attempt.

• How did securing this qualification help you?
  My studies enhanced and structured my thought process on safety principles and how they should be applied in the workplace. It strengthened my passion and made me want to take my studies to a higher level.

You very quickly progressed on to the NEBOSH International Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health:

• Why were you attracted to this qualification in particular?
  I gained a great deal of confidence and knowledge from completing the NEBOSH International General Certificate, so I was keen to make the NEBOSH International Diploma my next step. When I looked at what it covered, I could see the content was relevant to my role. It provided in-depth coverage of a wide range of topics including developing safety plans, the risk assessment process, and the biological effects of carcinogenic materials like asbestos and silica. I was told that the course and its assessment were tough, but I was very determined and devoted the time necessary to be successful. The 700+ hours I spent studying and preparing for the assessments paid off, and I was delighted to secure a distinction for the qualification overall.

• What did you gain from studying at this level?
  The NEBOSH International Diploma gave me the core knowledge I need as a health and safety professional. I liken it to the impact my electrical engineering Degree had on my earlier career. Finding a qualification that gives you this for your chosen discipline is vital as when you apply this learning in the workplace your confidence and competence grows. 

Can you tell us about Vodafone Idea which has been your employer for almost 20 years?
Vodafone idea Ltd was formed in 2018 when Vodafone Group’s Indian operation and Aditya Birla Group merged, creating the largest telecoms provider in India at that time in terms of revenue and customers. The company provides telecom operator services across the states of India. To do this, Vodafone idea has more than 150,000 cellular sites, over 100 mini data centres, plus multiple warehouses, offices, and retail stores. The company employs over 100,000 workers to deliver this vast operation every day.

You hold the very senior position of Vice President for Health and Safety. Can you tell us a about your role and responsibilities?
My role is varied, challenging, but very rewarding. It requires collaboration with the organisation’s senior management, particularly in relation to the development and delivery of strategic initiatives and long-term goals. These focus on how we can improve people's safety, the safety of business process flows and ensure compliance. To achieve these initiatives and goals requires buy in at all levels. We spend a lot of time working to strengthen our safety culture, focussing on continuous improvement, fostering innovation, and driving sustainable growth across the organisation.

I also play a key role in developing and maintaining our safety governance framework and ensuring our continued compliance with legislative requirements.

I work with colleagues across the business to ensure that safety is considered in everything we do, so I help to develop safe processes and establish safety standards that work.

Spearheading skill development within Vodafone idea and its supply chain is another key focus for me. Some of the work our teams do have high-risk aspects including electrical work, driving, and working at height. We need to ensure they receive appropriate training in these areas to keep them safe and well.

What advice would you give to anyone who aspires to achieve similar heights in their health and safety career?
My advice is that to be successful, you need to have a real passion for health and safety. The journey is never easy and requires perseverance to succeed. If we see unsafe behaviours, or if we feel profits are put before safety, we must be prepared to challenge, and this takes strength and resolve. If you are wavering, think what the potential consequence could be if what is concerning you is not addressed. It is such a rewarding profession, and we need to hold onto the bigger picture and the positive impact we can have by influencing and collaborating with others to make sure things are done safely.

What do you enjoy most about being a health and safety professional?
Being able to keep everyone safe and well. I love taking the time to understand a task so I can work out how it can be done without putting the operator at risk. You sometimes get challenged on the processes you create, for example because there is a quicker or easier way. It is so rewarding to be able to explain and justify the safer approach and get buy in from those who questioned it initially. I know that everything I do is motivated by my desire to keep others safe and well and that is what makes this job so rewarding and empowering. Every day we get to build our knowledge and use it to improve things in the workplaces we serve.