Health and Safety Lead
| Posting date: | 12 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £44,241 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Salary advertised is full time equivalent. |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 01 February 2026 |
| Location: | Southampton |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 442265/1 |
Summary
Have you investigated incidents, managed occupational trauma risks, and overseen health and safety programmes, including psychological support and PPE provision?
Do you have experience in procuring services, managing training, vehicle fleets, and coordinating building safety and facility projects?
If so, we’d love to hear from you!
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is an independent unit within the Department for Transport, dedicated to improving safety at sea. MAIB investigates marine accidents involving UK vessels worldwide and all vessels in UK territorial waters, aiming to prevent future accidents rather than assign blame or liability.
Each year, MAIB receives 1,500–1,800 accident reports, leading to around 30 detailed investigations. Based in Southampton, the branch employs 34 staff, including four specialist investigation teams supported by an administrative team.
MAIB’s responsibilities include determining accident causes, publishing safety recommendations, raising awareness of marine risks, and promoting national and international cooperation in accident investigation. Committed to excellence, MAIB strives to remain a global leader in safety investigations, uphold best practices, and ensure staff expertise through regular specialist training.
Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:
- Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
- 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
- Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Read more in the Benefits section below!
Find out more about what it's like working at DFT.
Based in Southampton, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is part of the Department for Transport and plays a vital role in improving safety at sea. We investigate marine accidents worldwide to prevent future incidents, not to assign blame or enforce laws. As Health and Safety Lead, you’ll manage policies and procedures, supporting a skilled team of investigators and office staff who work on complex marine casualty cases across the UK and internationally.
Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:
Develop and maintain MAIB’s safety management system, ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation, leading health and safety audits as necessary.Monitor and investigate staff accidents, incidents, and near misses; implement control measures as needed and ensure staff have the right PPE for the work they undertakeProvide direct support to operational staff in identifying and mitigating risks at accident sites.Assess risk assessments from deployed investigation teams and recommend improvements.Act as the responsible person under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations).Manage occupational trauma risks, psychological support programmes, vaccination schemes, and health and safety training.Oversee vehicle fleet management, office safety procedures, and contractor procurement for facility works; occasional travel required.For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.
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