Health & Safety Manager – Civils/Groundworks & Sewer Construction

Location: Surrey (with site travel across London & surrounding areas)

Employment Type: Full-time | Permanent

Sector: Civil Engineering | Groundworks | Utilities

About Us

We're an established, family-run civil engineering contractor with over 40 years' experience, specialising in sewer connections, excavation works, and site drainage. Operating across London and the South East, we deliver projects ranging from £3k to £3m for commercial and domestic clients, with a strong focus on quality and client loyalty.

As a close-knit, fast-paced team, we're looking for a dedicated Health & Safety Manager to join us and play a pivotal role in maintaining our excellent safety record while supporting our continued growth.

The Role

This is a hands-on HSE leadership position with real impact. You'll be responsible for developing and enforcing all health, safety, and environmental policies across multiple live construction sites, with a specialist focus on:

✅ Excavation & tunnelling (shaft and heading, open cut/trench works)

✅ Confined spaces (manhole entry, live sewer connections)

✅ Lifting operations and heavy plant/machinery

You'll split your time between office-based work and regular site visits, working closely with our Contracts Manager, Scheduling Manager, site operatives, and clients. This role offers genuine scope for development within a growing family business.

Key Responsibilities

Safety Systems & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with construction safety regulations and confined spaces/excavation standards
• Create, review and maintain site-specific RAMS for high-risk activities
• Develop and continuously improve company-wide HSE Management Systems
• Manage plant, equipment and vehicle fleet testing/calibration records

Risk Assessment & Site Inspections

• Conduct proactive safety audits across all active projects
• Identify and mitigate hazards including trench collapse, toxic gases, traffic management, and biological risks
• Monitor on-site compliance and enforce safety standards

Training & Culture

• Deliver effective H&S training (inductions, confined spaces, excavation safety, PPE protocols)
• Lead toolbox talks and safety briefings
• Champion a positive, preventative safety culture across the organisation
• Maintain training records and qualification tracking

Incident Management

• Investigate all accidents, near-misses and incidents to determine root causes
• Manage RIDDOR reporting and regulatory compliance
• Develop corrective action plans and compile safety performance reports

Stakeholder Liaison

• Liaise with clients, principal contractors, utility companies and regulatory bodies (HSE, water authorities)
• Lead H&S accreditations (CHAS, Constructionline Gold)
• Support tender submissions with pre-qualification documentation
• Stay current with legislation and industry best practices

What We're Looking For

Essential:

• 4+ years in a dedicated H&S role within civils/groundworks
• Specific experience in sewer construction, excavation, confined spaces, tunnelling and lifting operations
• NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent professional safety qualification)
• CSCS card
• UK Driving Licence
• Strong IT skills (Microsoft Office suite)

Desirable:

• Degree in Health & Safety or related field
• Grad IOSH
• Confined Space Certificate
• TWSTC (Temporary Works Supervisor Course)
• Lifting AP (Appointed Person)

Your Profile

You're a self-motivated, proactive professional who can hit the ground running with minimal supervision. You demonstrate:

✔ Perseverance in maintaining zero H&S stoppages

✔ Quick thinking and ability to make an impact from day one

✔ Calm under pressure with excellent judgement (including authority to stop unsafe work)

✔ Strong communication and coaching skills to drive cultural change

✔ Methodical organisation and exceptional attention to detail

✔ Flexibility and adaptability in a fast-paced, small team environment

✔ Genuine interest in process improvement and leveraging technology