Health and Safety Officer - Part time in Chester

Health & Safety Officer – Full-Time Ellesmere Port, Cheshire £40,000–£50,000 6-Month Fixed Term Immediate start Trek Recruitment is hiring for an experienced Health and Safety Officer to join an exciting new manufacturing business establishing operations in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. We are seeking an experienced Health & Safety Officer to help build a strong, practical safety culture from the ground up. The opportunity This is a rare chance to shape health, safety and wellbeing systems at a brand-new manufacturing site as it moves through commissioning and into operation. You will join at a formative stage and work closely with managers and supervisors who share ownership of safety across all departments. The role is hands-on, visible and collaborative — focused on practical systems, coaching on the plant floor, closing actions and embedding sustainable best practice. You will not carry health and safety alone. Specialist leadership sits with this role; day-to-day ownership sits with the wider management team. THE ROLE Health & safety management systems Develop, implement and improve the site Health & Safety Management System, policies, procedures and Safe Systems of Work Support compliance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and relevant regulations (PUWER, LOLER, COSHH, DSEAR where applicable, Manual Handling, Working at Height, Fire Safety and others), plus any ISO 45001 requirements Keep accurate records of risk assessments, training, inspections, incidents and statutory documentation Ensure systems are practical, understood and used on the shop floor Risk assessment, inspections and audits Lead and support risk assessments, RAMS, COSHH assessments and task-based controls across production, maintenance and contractor activity Carry out workplace inspections, behavioural observations and internal audits; track findings and drive timely close-out with managers and supervisors Advise on machinery safety, guarding, LOTO, permit-to-work, contractor control and vehicle/pedestrian segregation Incident management and investigation Lead or support investigations into accidents, near-misses and dangerous occurrences; identify root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions Ensure timely internal reporting and RIDDOR reporting where required Analyse trends and feed learning into systems, training and behaviours Training, culture and communication Deliver or coordinate inductions, toolbox talks, safety briefings and relevant training for employees and contractors Promote a positive, proactive safety culture through visible leadership and coaching Support emergency preparedness (fire drills, first aid, spill response) Act as a point of contact for H&S advice and liaise with the HSE, insurers, auditors and occupational health providers as needed Enable managers to lead by example so that safety is owned across the site YOU  NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (or equivalent) as a minimum; higher qualification advantageous Proven Health & Safety / SHEQ experience in manufacturing, processing or a similar industrial environment Sound knowledge of UK health and safety legislation and practical application of the risk control hierarchy Experience of machinery safety, COSHH and permit-to-work systems in a process or manufacturing setting Familiarity with ISO 45001 (and ideally ISO 14001) and internal auditing Experience of risk assessments, workplace inspections, incident investigations and delivering safety training or toolbox talks Strong communication, coaching and influencing skills at all levels Ability to work independently and prioritise effectively Collaborative approach — enabling others to own safety rather than doing everything yourself Right to work in the UK; full UK driving licence desirable Location: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire Salary: £40,000–£50,000 Contract: Fixed term, 6 months Hours: Full time, 08:30–17:00, Monday to Friday Start: Immediate How to apply This vacancy is being managed exclusively by Trek Recruitment as sole recruitment partner. Apply now with your CV for a confidential discussion. Immediate applications are welcome