Consultant Profile

Karen Thomson

CMIOSH AIEMA GCGI

Overview

Overview

A diligent and accomplished, diploma qualified Chartered Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH). Widely experienced in providing day-to-day, operational and strategic advice to add value, reduce risk and deliver outcomes with a focus on Safety, Health & Environmental compliance and performance. A systems thinker, results-driven and industrious. Adept at identifying deficiencies in management systems, delivering outputs to drive continual improvement and providing efficient solutions to complex problems. Competencies include Health and Safety as a Chartered Member of IOSH, Environmental Management as an Associate Member of IEMA, registered consultant on the OSHCR and Leadership and Management experience as a British Army Officer. Uses first rate instructional and leadership techniques to motivate people, achieving targets and training objectives that align with the business plan and the organisational strategy. Excellent inter-personal and communication skills, complemented with a practical approach ensuring compliance and common sense business solutions.

Specialisms

Specialisms

Industry	Years Experience
Armed forces	30
Education	16

Topic	Years Experience
Business benefits	16
Leadership	16
Horizon scanning	16
Managing for health and safety	16

Work History

Work History

Total years experience: 16

Role	From - To	Job Title / Description
Senior Health, Safety & Environmental Advisor & Trainer – Army Safety Group	09.2023 - 04.2025	Regional HSE advisor for 4 x organisations (400 personnel each) in Wales providing advice, guidance, and support to ensure statutory & mandatory compliance and best practice. Responsible for promoting a proactive and positive health & safety culture across Wales as a Senior SHEF Advisor within large geographical area of responsibility. Training Delivery for Wales Units and the Safety Group as the lead for delivery of IOSH Leading Safely (Safety Champion) and IOSH Managing Safely (Safety Manager) courses. Training design as the lead for the redesign of the Organisational Safety Advisor course.
Health & Safety Training & Education Lead – Army Headquarters Andover	03.2021 - 03.2022	Building on 10 years’ experience, providing the Professional Standards Authority for all Health, Safety & Environmental training & education in the British Army. Identify efficient and effective training delivery means including working across multiple departments and with consultants and Regulators. Provide career management and professional guidance to 70+ H&S Advisors across UK.
Health & Safety Manager	09.2009 - 03.2021	Responsible for presenting regular training ensuring excellent levels of knowledge across health & safety matters. Provides competent and impartial day-to-day and strategic advice to senior directors that informs their decision-making process and minimises business risk. Ensures site infrastructure and security requirements are compliant. Where deficiencies are identified, implements project and risk management in partnership with the estates team to manage overall business risk. Ensures all health and safety procedures are effectively promoted, developing a positive safety culture. Builds and manages excellent relationships with external agencies, including enforcement officers. ·Accident reporting and investigation in accordance with Service Policy to ensure lessons are learned and control measures implemented. Undertaking internal inspections and audits and co-ordinating external audits. Exercises emergency plans in conjunction with Local Authority and emergency services. Manages the site’s Environmental Management System.

Role

From - To

Job Title / Description

Senior Health, Safety & Environmental Advisor & Trainer – Army Safety Group

09.2023 - 04.2025

Regional HSE advisor for 4 x organisations (400 personnel each) in Wales providing advice, guidance, and support to ensure statutory & mandatory compliance and best practice.

Responsible for promoting a proactive and positive health & safety culture across Wales as a Senior SHEF Advisor within large geographical area of responsibility.

Training Delivery for Wales Units and the Safety Group as the lead for delivery of IOSH Leading Safely (Safety Champion) and IOSH Managing Safely (Safety Manager) courses.

Training design as the lead for the redesign of the Organisational Safety Advisor course.

Health & Safety Training & Education Lead – Army Headquarters Andover

03.2021 - 03.2022

Building on 10 years’ experience, providing the Professional Standards Authority for all Health, Safety & Environmental training & education in the British Army.

Identify efficient and effective training delivery means including working across multiple departments and with consultants and Regulators.

Provide career management and professional guidance to 70+ H&S Advisors across UK.

Health & Safety Manager

09.2009 - 03.2021

Responsible for presenting regular training ensuring excellent levels of knowledge across health & safety matters.

Provides competent and impartial day-to-day and strategic advice to senior directors that informs their decision-making process and minimises business risk.

Ensures site infrastructure and security requirements are compliant. Where deficiencies are identified, implements project and risk management in partnership with the estates team to manage overall business risk.

Ensures all health and safety procedures are effectively promoted, developing a positive safety culture.

Builds and manages excellent relationships with external agencies, including enforcement officers.

·Accident reporting and investigation in accordance with Service Policy to ensure lessons are learned and control measures implemented.

Undertaking internal inspections and audits and co-ordinating external audits.

Exercises emergency plans in conjunction with Local Authority and emergency services.

Manages the site’s Environmental Management System.

Memberships & Qualifications

Membership of Professional Bodies

Professional Body	Membership	Member since	OSHCR Eligible Since
IOSH	Chartered Member (CMIOSH)	09.2009	08.2024

Qualifications

Accrediting Institute	Type	Qualification	Date passed
BSC	Diploma	Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health	04.2014

Further Information

Key Achievements

Liaison & Engagement with Regulator - As part of a Health & Safety Executive (HSE) intervention programme with the British Army, accompanied the HSE MoD & Public Protection Lead Inspector to several sites / activities to deliver a joint assurance programme that required detailed co-ordination & delivery.

Leading & Influencing for Cultural Change - At the onset of the COVID 19 global pandemic, identified the need for site wide policy, risk assessment, outbreak plan and staff training. Supporting the Brigade Commander across Wales, led a team of health and safety professionals to create risk assessments for dynamic military assistance to civil authority tasks, and created a repository for best practice information with effective contribution to the operational risk register for Wales. Received a Commendation for this effort.

Reviewing Education & Training - As the Professional Standards Authority for Health & Safety Training, conducted a training gap analysis of all H&S courses, identified deficiencies, improvements, and efficiencies to maximise safety outputs, quality, and efficiency. Developed the Army Safety Centre as a Training Provider to deliver IOSH qualifications (IOSH Leading Safely & IOSH Managing Safely).

Health & Safety Culture & Growth - Implemented significant improvements to the health & safety culture across a large organisation (500+) through active participation in an advisory visit programme conducting regular inspections and audit of standards. The subsequent action plan is re-visited and checked regularly with competent advice given. Personnel are mentored to meet required standards of behaviour & culture.

Environmental Management System & Continual Improvement: Highly commended for an Environmental Award at MoD Whitehall following a specialist conservation programme and delivery of 20K of energy efficiency savings.

Implementation of SHEF Management System: Implemented and engaging and user-friendly Safety & Environmental Management System Framework to achieve legislative compliance, conformance and standardisation across the organisation.