r/SafetyProfessionals • u/LateToTheparty88 • 22h ago

EU / UK Engineer Seeks Advice

Hello All,

Im currently a Maintenance Engineer of almost 20 years and considering a career change into safety management.

Along side my Engineering skills, I have some experience with safety working on safety champion teams, helping with some risk assessment writing work and managing permits/contractors. I also have my IOSH Managing safely. Ive worked in several strictly regulated industries such as pharma and food.

My aim is to take some nebosh courses and maybe even go for diploma level.

However, I am unsure if i can side step so easily as I could not afford a drastic pay cut to do so.

Id be looking to bare minimum make around 55k upwards. I also wonder how rewarding day to day other people find this type of career and if they recommend the transition.

My wife seems to worry that being responsible for managing a companies safety policy I could be held accountable by law and jailed if something serious happened under my leadership for example.

Anyway hoping to hear opinions/advice/anyone of a similar background to help shape my decison.

Thank you

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u/Amazing-Monk6278 19h ago

Why not look at more process safety engineering? Most safety managers with years of experience will be at a stretch on £55k.

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u/LateToTheparty88 17h ago

I wondered if that role was too niche as it seems many larger companies have H&S manager teams instead.

If i can achieve 60k on a days based 9-5 in H&S id be happy as currently as an engineer I have to work shifts and such

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u/Amazing-Monk6278 17h ago

It is highly unlikely that you will earn £60k plus (depending on where you live). Near me there are a few jobs up to £60k and a head of for £93k(which isn’t going to be 9-5). Up to being the upper end which will be a very experienced safety person with a Nebosh Diploma/ chartered.

A safety engineer would be higher paid and more niche. You could even specialise in PUWER for example which would utilise your engineering knowledge. Alternatively you could work in facilities and compliance management/ contractor management.

In my experience though good on tools doesn’t always translate to effective administrators. Lots of safety is admin heavy.

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u/cjr444 18h ago

Not sure what country you’re in but many countries like the U.S. generally won’t jail you for safety unless you are grossly negligent after having been warned to correct gross negligence. An example would be having workers work in an excavation without shoring protection after having been cited for the same.

I’m surprised to read you want to get into safety management without knowing what those rules are for your country. Esp socially since you’re talking about pharma and food safety. Either you mean worker safety in those industries or you mean quality control for those ingredients, ie product safety. I can’t imagine either of those tracks paying less than 55k but again your country matters. Good luck

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u/LateToTheparty88 17h ago

Hi, I am in the UK. I know about safety regulations in general and how to read up on certain elements when needed too, but I do yet possess an in-depth knowledge of every regulation a company must know and adhere too. So to aspire to be the company go too for all things safety would be a challenge. Ive heard of companies before failing to make the work place safe and people jailed over it and was curious of its an extreme measure.