Work Health and Safety Manager
Control operational health and safety for an organisation.
Job opportunities
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Jobs in SEEK right now
Job growth
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5-year projection
Salary
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Typical salary
Job satisfaction
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Job opportunities
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Jobs in SEEK right now
Salary
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Typical salary
Job growth
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5-year projection
Job satisfaction
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What's it like to be a Work Health and Safety Manager?
Work Health and Safety Managers are responsible for ensuring an organisation’s health and safety compliance. They assess and manage risks, and develop strategies, plans and policies that help to drive a safe working culture.
Tasks and duties
- Developing, implementing and reviewing plans, processes and policies that increase safety.
- Controlling and mitigating workplace hazards and risks.
- Ensuring operational compliance with relevant health and safety acts and legislation.
- Advocating for health and safety in organisational policy.
- Staying updated with changes to health and safety acts, legislations and awards.
- Managing Health and Safety Officers and other staff.
- Inspecting and auditing workplaces, processes and equipment for safety and compliance.
- Reporting and managing incidents and safety breaches.
Work Health and Safety Managers need up-to-date knowledge of health and safety acts and legislation, and strong management skills. They work in many industries including manufacturing, logistics and distribution, aviation, and mining, energy and gas.
How to become a Work Health and Safety Manager
You usually need to complete a tertiary qualification in health and safety and have extensive industry experience to become a Work Health and Safety Manager. A First Aid certificate and additional licences may be required by some employers. Certification with the Australian Health and Safety Institute may improve your employability.
- Gain a First Aid certificate by completing a short course with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
- Complete a relevant qualification. This could be a Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety (BSB41419), Diploma of Work Health and Safety (BSB51319) or Bachelor of Occupational Health and Safety. Alternatively, if you already have a bachelor degree or experience in a relevant industry, you can complete a Graduate Diploma of Occupational Health and Safety.
- Complete additional certificates and licences as required by employers.
- After gaining extensive experience in an OHS related role, consider gaining certification with the Australian Health and Safety Institute (AIHS). Once certified, you will need to renew annually and complete ongoing professional development.
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Skills and experience employers are looking for
Having the right skills and experience can make you an in-demand applicant. Work Health and Safety Manager employers on SEEK are looking for job seekers with expertise in the following areas.
Source: SEEK job ads and SEEK Profile data
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Latest Work Health and Safety Manager reviews
Mar 2024
Reviewer's Qualification
Diploma of Occupational Health and Safety
Experience
1 – 4 years
Organisation size
Large (200+ employees)
The good things
If you want to influence the direction of a business and be rewarded with positive change and a fair amount of frustration then a WHS managers role is for you.
The challenges
A lack of ownership can leave you frustrated. Getting caught in the weeds and missing the big picture and big ticket risks can be aggravating
Read more
Jan 2024
Reviewer's Qualification
Advanced Diploma of Occupational Health and Safety
Experience
10+ years
Organisation size
Medium (20-199 employees)
The good things
Daily variety. Challenge of being able to drop something at a moment's notice to deal with a pressing issue or event.
Learning to become a collaborator and influencer.
The challenges
Sometimes the education of personnel who have not been exposed to modern OHS philosophies can be trying but ultimately fulfilling when you can enact change.
Read more
Source: SEEK role reviews
SEEK has not verified the truth or accuracy of these comments and does not adopt or endorse any of the comments posted on this page.SEEK collects and posts the comments for what they are worth and for information purposes only to assist candidates to find employment through seek.com.au
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