Health and safety inspector
Work environment
- Usually work regular business hours but may work extra hours
- Usually work in offices or outdoors and may travel locally or nationally to visit worksites
- May work in all weather or hazardous conditions
- Need to be safety conscious, identify and solve problems and communicate well
Salary information
Typical tasks
- Inspect workplaces for health and safety issues
- Ensure workplace safety rules are followed
- Ensure workers have correct safety gear
- Investigate accidents and serious safety events
- Investigate work-related health issues
- Write health and safety reports
- Inform employers about health and safety standards
- Take legal action and appear in court
Outlook
Workplace health and safety remains a major focus across New Zealand industries, particularly in construction, manufacturing, forestry and agriculture. Organisations are placing greater emphasis on preventing injuries, managing long-term health risks and supporting worker wellbeing. Ongoing regulatory changes, increased use of data and growing awareness of psychosocial risks are shaping the future of health and safety practice both in New Zealand and internationally.
What employers and industry want in graduates
- Strong observation and investigation skills
- Attention to detail
- Ability to assess and manage risks
- Clear written and verbal communication
- Confidence working with different people and organisations
- Commitment to fairness and ethical decision-making
AUT programmes
The above is a suggestion only and a starting point. You may need to meet other criteria or take additional steps to work in this career.
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This data is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahtu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Some of the information has been modified by AUT. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this data.