A day in the life of a Safe Systems of Work Controller.
- February 22, 2023
Meet Tony who is a Safe Systems of Work Controller from our Operations profession.
We have recently launched vacancies for Safe Systems of Work Controllers to join the team – when did you join?
I joined the Utilities Safe Systems of Work Controller team in 2013, I have had several placements all around the utilities department, which has really helped with my development and understanding of the site.
What does your job involve? My job is to release plant on behalf of our DAP and control the safety of the work that is being carried out across the site. I carry out meetings with stakeholders for work that is due to start and review paperwork, to ensure it is correct and that the work pack is ready for use to begin various jobs. I visit work faces to ensure the safe systems in the work packs are being applied and also verify isolations.
What is a typical day like in your role?
My day begins with a plant handover & catching up on the previous days logbook. We then issue work packs for all the work carried out within the Utilities department, which can be up to 40+ a day. The next part of the day can range from attending stakeholder meetings around site, visiting work faces that we have signed on or reviewing work packs for upcoming projects. I work a 5 Double Day rota which is First & Backs Shifts, the back shifts are spent signing back in the work packs, reviewing what work has been carried out & visiting work places to check they are left safely and again attending Stakeholder meetings. The shift ends by attending the nightly team meeting.
How did you get into your current job role? I previously worked as a Health Physics Monitor and wanted to gain more experience at Sellafield of the safety side of things. The Safe Systems of Work Controller role combines a lot of different aspects of Safety in the work place ranging from Nuclear safety to conventional safety. Utilities has been an ideal place to gain the knowledge for my role as the work is so varied.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy engaging with a wide range of stakeholders which includes planners, job supervisors, Team Leaders. I engage with many different areas such as systems repair, civil construction operations, electrical upgrades & re-active breakdown tasks. I also enjoy being part of a close knit team looking after the Utilities area and the project work.
What is the hardest part of your job? Dealing with a complex breakdown task can be a challenge! Various stakeholders across a range of buildings are required.
Why did you decide to pursue this career?
I wanted a fresh challenge from my previous role as a Health Physics Monitor & thought this was a great opportunity to gain more knowledge of Health & Safety in the workplace, and to gain a better knowledge of a wider range of projects. Utilities has been a great place for this as we cover such a vast area of site & control numerous different types of work.
What can this type of job lead on to? It could lead to a Team Leader role or a Safety Advisor role.
What advice would you give to somebody considering this role as a career?
Have an open mind coming into the role. You will deal with many aspects of Health & Safety in the workplace and it can be a lot to take in. Seeing work completed from start to finish and without incident is very rewarding knowing you have contributed to that achievement.