Working with the HSA

If you’re looking for a career where you can make a real difference, a career with the potential for enormous personal satisfaction, then why not consider a role with the Health and Safety Authority.

All staff, regardless of their specific job, work towards achieving our vision of “healthy, safe and productive lives and enterprises”.  We make a difference and we’re proud of what we do.  Every day brings different challenges and opportunities.

What type of roles do we offer?

The roles in the Authority are as varied as our broad remit which covers all sectors of the economy and business types ranging from self-employed to multinational corporations.  A large proportion of our staff work as inspectors. We employ scientists, engineers, health experts, IT experts, administrators and many others working in the areas of compliance, prevention programmes, chemicals, policy development, market surveillance and corporate governance. Our inspectors operate in a wide variety of sectors including construction, agriculture, manufacturing, biotech, pharma-chemical, healthcare and retail or in more specialised areas, such as chemicals (COMAH - Control of Major Accident Hazards involving Dangerous Substances).   

Inspector Roles 

Compliance

Compliance occupational health & safety inspectors operate at the frontline of the Authority’s work, carrying out inspections and investigations which can result in making a real difference to people’s working lives.  They inspect workplaces to help improve safety, health and welfare standards by engaging with managers and employees. Compliance inspectors motivate people to take action, explain requirements in a simple and clear way and, where necessary, undertake enforcement action.  Compliance inspectors also have an important role in investigating serious accidents and fatalities with the purpose of preventing reoccurrence and where appropriate recommend prosecutions.

Chemical

Chemical inspectors can have more specialised roles protecting human health and the environment from risks arising from the manufacture and use of chemicals.  Specialist roles may either be policy or compliance based.  Some chemical inspectors are involved in the evaluation or assessment of scientific studies or technical information on behalf of the EU to determine if a chemical is safe for consumers or workers. Others carry out inspections in enterprises involved in the manufacture, import and use of chemicals. 

Policy

Policy staff work on developing policy and guidance on a wide range of topics.  This could include working on new legislation or drafting a Code of Practice to assist a particular industry sector.  Policy inspectors and compliance inspectors work very closely to ensure the final deliverable is of the required quality.  Policy inspectors engage closely with stakeholders both nationally and at EU level within the sector or on the topic they deal with.  

Market Surveillance

Inspectors may also be assigned to a market surveillance role where we have responsibility for checking the compliance of a range of products/goods such as machinery, lifts, personal protective equipment, transportable pressure equipment (TPED), pressure equipment or chemicals. The role involves assessing how manufacturers and importers meet the EU standards and requirements for placing their products on the EU and Irish market.  

Corporate Roles

Many of our staff work in corporate roles such as Information and Communications Technology, Marketing and Communications, Human Resources, Finance, Quality Assurance, Corporate Governance, Research and Statistics, and Facilities Management.  These roles are essential for the smooth functioning of the organisation and play a crucial role in raising awareness, changing attitudes and influencing behaviour with a view to achieving our overall goals. In addition, roles within the Authority’s dedicated Contact Centre directly promote the prevention of injury and ill health to workers, employers and members of the public through a telephone helpline and web-based services.

Accreditation Officer Roles

The Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) awards accreditation to organisations that comply with international standards. The accreditation officer is part of a technical assessment team which evaluates an organisation’s compliance across their scope of accredited activity. INAB accredits testing and calibration laboratories, medical examination laboratories, certification and inspection bodies and reference material producers. The accreditation officer is responsible for a diverse portfolio of clients spanning multiple sectors.

Benefits of a Career with the HSA

Regardless of your role, we’re committed to providing ongoing learning and development opportunities so that you can develop to your full potential.  Staff are actively encouraged to pursue further education opportunities through our Refund of Fees Scheme. 

A healthy work-life balance is important to us and we recognise this by offering a comprehensive range of work-life balance options such as flexible working hours and a wide variety of special leave options.  We also provide access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and the Tax Saver Scheme.

We have a comprehensive staff occupational health and wellbeing programme including an Employee Assistance Programme, health screening, health and nutrition advice and wellbeing talks. 

New staff will also be members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme which applies to all pensionable first-time entrants to the public service.

Members of staff may join a group scheme for voluntary health insurance. Contributions can be deducted from salary.

We have a number of offices around the country so you may have the opportunity to be based in a location convenient to your home.  Our head office is in Dublin with regional offices in Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo and Athlone.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to implement equal opportunities in all our employment policies and procedures.