Featured items

There are no featured items on this page

Health and Safety Inspector - Personal requirements

Kaimātai Hauora-Haumaru

Skills & knowledge

Health and safety inspectors need to have:

knowledge of health and safety Acts and regulations, and how to interpret them
an understanding of safe work practices and safety equipment
knowledge of health and safety management systems
knowledge of hazardous substances used in workplaces and their adverse effects
the ability to conduct investigations and prepare cases for prosecution
the ability to conduct presentations
auditing skills
computer skills
problem-solving skills and the ability to make decisions
oral and written communication skills.

"Technical and trade knowledge can be useful in this job. It also helps to have a good general knowledge of the tasks and duties involved in different occupations."

Jo Fox - Health and Safety Inspector

Personal Qualities

Health and safety inspectors need to be:

honest
practical
able to keep information confidential
enquiring and alert, with an eye for detail
firm, fair and impartial
able to relate well to people from a range of cultures and backgrounds
able to work well under pressure and without supervision
able to cope with accident scenes and to deal with stress and conflict.

"You're often working with people who have been harmed in one way or another, whether mentally or physically. That's not easy, particularly as the harm gets more serious and there's a lot of emotion involved."

James Dodwell - Health and Safety Inspector

Physical Requirements

Health and safety inspectors need to have a good level of fitness as some bending and climbing is involved in workplace inspections, which can be in diverse physical environments.

Previous page - Tasks and specialisations

Next page - How to get into the job

Updated September 2009

Return to page navigation menu