Safety engineer

As a safety engineer, you will be responsible for making sure that engineering systems and projects operate smoothly and safely.

Also known as:

• Functional safety engineer

Work activities

As a safety engineer, you will be responsible for making sure that engineering systems and projects operate smoothly and safely. You might be brought in to work on a particular new engineering project or system. You’ll use your engineering knowledge to help design the new systems, taking into account the relevant health and safety issues. You could also work on engineering processes and systems that are already up and running. You’ll need to spot potential and already existing safety problems and suggest ways of solving any issues. You will make sure such safety problems can be prevented in future.

Your duties could also include:

• Reviewing safety and environmental requirements.
• Carrying out safety tests on machinery.
• Using it based safety analysis tools.
• Evaluating the safety risk throughout a whole project lifecycle.
• Carrying out hazard assessments (detailed it based investigations into potential safety problems and faults).
• Writing safety plans and reports.
• Leading and supporting safety working groups or teams.
• Leading safety committee meetings.
• Training people in carrying out the correct health and safety procedures.

Personal qualities and skills

As a Safety Engineer, you need:

• Experience of engineering and manufacturing systems.
• An awareness of the safety standards and legislation which exists within the industry you choose to work in.
• Network design skills.
• System safety testing skills.
• Hazard management skills (how do you deal with a safety problem?)
• To be willing to keep up to date with advances in technology in this fast-changing area.
• Personal skills – you will need to be creative and able to solve problems.
• Have good communications skills, including the ability to explain technical and complex ideas clearly, so that non-technical people can understand.

You might have responsibility for a team of engineers, so the ability to motivate and encourage others will be an advantage. You will need to be well-organised because may be asked to plan and carry-out several different tasks at the same time, and so you will need to prioritise.

You will need to work carefully with the staff who currently operate the machinery, in order to fully understand the process.

Pay and opportunities

According to job site Indeed, safety engineers can expect to earn an average of £53,000 per year, but you will start on considerably less.

You will most likely work full-time hours, Monday to Friday. Occasional late finishes and weekend work may be required.

Employers include manufacturing firms in the following industries:

• Aerospace
• Automobile
• Construction
• Defence
• Food and drink
• Marine
• Nuclear energy
• Rail
• Renewable energy

Opportunities occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local/national newspapers, trade industry publications, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training 

Many employers require you to have an HND, HNC or a degree before you become a safety engineer. HNDs, HNCs and Degrees in relevant subjects are available at many universities. To get onto one of these courses, you will usually need at least two A-levels.

Depending on their qualification level, safety engineers can progress by taking on more responsibility for the management of engineering projects and teams of engineers. Some engineers choose to become self-employed or take contract work on a freelance basis.

Qualifications

To enter a relevant degree course in this career, the usual requirements are:

• Two to three A-levels.
• GCSEs in your A-level subjects at grades 9-4.
• A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4.

English, maths and a science subject are usually required at GCSE at grades 9-4.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course (e.g. Access to Engineering) could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

Many people enter this career after gaining relevant skills, and perhaps qualifications, in a related area such as:

• Aerospace
• Automobile
• Construction
• Defence
• Food and drink
• Marine
• Nuclear energy
• Rail
• Renewable energy

Industry experience is very highly valued by employers.

Funding for postgraduate courses may be available through universities from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Related careers

• Test engineer