A Health and Safety Manager plays a critical role within a company by ensuring the well-being and security of its employees. From conducting risk assessments, providing safety training, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, their primary responsibility is to prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace.
That's what Nick Despoja does at ARSGEM. Further, he is diligently pushing us to be at the forefront of occupational safety. "Making sure everyone goes home safely and comfortably each and every night is my top priority."
First Part: At ARSGEM
Briefly introduce yourself:
My name is Nick Despoja and I work as the Health and Safety Manager since November 2023. My broad responsibilities include ensuring compliance with regulatory bodies and standards, conducting audits and reviews of existing health and safety policies, advising employees on safety procedures, managing certifications, and addressing incidents and injuries. In short, I do all I can do to minimize any injury exposures as much as possible.
What are some integral parts of your role that people might not know about?
It is all about having genuine and effective ongoing interactions with every part of the organization. From the newly hired to highly seasoned veterans, it is vital for me to interact with every part of the organization. While some may mistakenly perceive the Health and Safety industry as primarily concerned with enforcing regulations and paperwork, the focus of the matter is fundamentally about helping and supporting others. Having and practicing excellent people skills is therefore a must. It's crucial to understand how to connect with individuals possessing varying communication styles in order to successfully fulfill this job.
What are your favourite parts of your role and why?
I like having constant interaction with every individual within the company. Besides people working in the office, I also do a lot of field visits to ensure compliance. I learned that how I approach people from different interests, needs, and backgrounds is essential to creating a safe environment where people know they are protected and can work with confidence.