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Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager

A Pharmaceutical Manufacturing facility can be a dangerous site for employees, and if Health and Safety guidelines are not followed there could be danger to the general public when medications are distributed.

Their work involves conducting experiments, analysing data, and identifying ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the manufacturing process. 

Overall, the responsibilities of a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Research and Development Scientist Technician involve a combination of laboratory work, data analysis, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and compliance with regulatory requirements.

These facilities must be kept free from any incidents or accidents. The Health and Safety Manager is responsible for ensuring that all work related to the production and handling of medication/pharmaceuticals is carried out in accordance with the correct health and safety practices. Their main role is to manage and promote health and safety procedures that ensure a business complies with all relevant regulations, standards and policies.  

The duties of a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager usually include: 

  • developing and carrying out safety policies and procedures:  The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager is responsible for ensuring that employees are aware of the risks involved in their work and equipped with the necessary tools and equipment needed to work safely. 
  • carrying out risk assessments: The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager identifies potential hazards in the workplace, assesses risk associated with each hazard, and develops appropriate strategies to mitigate or eliminate the risks. 
  • monitoring safety performance:  The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager monitors the safety performance of the organisation by regularly reviewing safety reports, carrying out safety audits, and investigating incidents and accidents to identify areas for improvement. 
  • training employees: The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager provides safety training to employees to ensure they are aware of the risks involved in their work and are equipped with the necessary safety tools and equipment needed to work safely. 
  • ensuring compliance:  The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager ensures the pharmaceutical manufacturing site complies with all relevant safety regulations and standards by maintaining up-to-date knowledge of regulatory requirements and implementing appropriate safety measures.  
  • investigating accidents and any incidents: The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager investigates accidents and any incidents to identify the root cause and develop strategies to prevent them from recurring.  
  • managing safety programmes:  The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager manages safety programmes that include fire prevention and any environmental health and safety programmes.   

Responsibilities

As a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager you will need to: 

  • develop and implement health and safety policies 
  • conduct risk assessments 
  • provide training: such as proper use of personal protective equipment, training on safe working practices and other relevant health and safety topics   
  • monitor compliance: monitor compliance with health and safety regulations and standards by conducting regular inspections, audits and assessments   
  • investigate any accidents or incidents: determine the main cause and implement any corrective actions to prevent them from recurring 
  • coordinate emergency responses: manage safety programs, such as hazard communication, emergency response 
  • manage safety programmes: such as hazard communication, emergency response, and industrial hygiene programmes 
  • communicate with the workforce: communicate information to employees, management, regulatory agencies and any other stakeholders 
  • stay up-to-date with any regulations relating to any changes ensuring that the company complies with all relevant standards 

Skills

To become a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager, you need to have a combination of technical, leadership,  and interpersonal skills.  You’ll need to show: 

 

  • knowledge of health and safety regulations: a deep understanding of the relevant regulations and guidelines is needed to ensure compliance and protect the health and safety of employees 
  • risk management skills: the ability to identify potential hazards and develop risk management strategies to prevent accidents from occurring   
  • analytical skills: strong analytical skills are needed to assess data and identify trends and patterns to improve health and safety programmes 
  • project management skills: the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritise tasks effectively 
  • leadership skills: the ability to lead and manage a team effectively and provide guidance and support to employees 
  • communication skills: strong communication skills are needed to communicate effectively with employees, management and regulatory agencies 
  • interpersonal skills: the ability to work effectively with a wide range of people and build positive relationships with employees, management and external agencies   
  • attention to detail: the ability to pay close attention to detail to ensure compliance with regulations and prevent incidents from occurring 
  • problem-solving skills: the ability to quickly identify and solve problems to ensure a safe working environment for employees 

Salary

The salary for a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager in the UK can vary depending on different factors, such as, experience, education, specific industry and location.  

The salary can range between £35,000 and £60,000 per year.  Senior managers with several years of experience and responsibility for large teams and budgets can earn more than £80,000 per year. 

Salaries may also vary depending on the size of the company and the region where the job is located. Additionally, those managers that hold advanced degrees, professional qualifications or have several years experience in the field may be able to negotiate higher salaries.  

Working hours

The working hours of a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager can vary depending on the specific company and industry.  

Typically, a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager will work standard full-time hours of 40 hours per week, usually Monday to Friday. However, some companies may require additional hours and occasional weekend or evening work may be necessary. Pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities may also operate on a 24/7 basis, and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Managers may need to be available outside of regular hours to manage safety issues or emergency situations. Overall, the specific working hours may vary depending on the needs of the employer and demands of the job.  

Employers

Sterling Pharma Solutions 

Quotient Sciences 

Glaxo Smith Kline 

Piramal 

Accord Healthcare 

Recipharm 

Lecia Biosystems 

Organon 

Thermo Fisher 

High Force Research 

 

Work experience

To become a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager, you typically need a combination of education, relevant certification, and work experience.  Here are some general guidelines for work experience you may need:  

  • Relevant industry experience in the pharmaceutical or manufacturing industry.  
  • Occupational health and safety experience: This can include experience in safety management, compliance, and regulatory affairs.   
  • Leadership and management experience: This is due to the scale and importance of the role and the need to communicate and work with supervisors, managers and others in leadership roles.  

What to expect

A Pharmaceutical Health and Safety Manager plays a critical role in ensuring a safe and healthy working environment for employees and ensuring that the company is compliant with all relevant health and safety regulations and standards. The job can be demanding and may require the ability to work under pressure and manage multiple tasks simultaneously. 

Career Progression

The career progression for a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager can vary depending on the specific company and industry you work in.  Here are some possible career paths: 

  • Senior Health and Safety Manager:  With several years of experience, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Managers can advance to senior management positions, such as Senior Health and Safety Manager.  In this role, you may be responsible for overseeing multiple sites or managing a larger team of Health and Safety professionals.  
  • Regulatory Affairs Manager:  Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Managers can move to a regulatory affairs position with their strong understanding of regulations and compliance.  In this role, you may be responsible for ensuring compliance with regulations and developing strategies to manage risk and product quality. 
  • Director of Environmental, Health and Safety: With extensive experience, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Managers can advance to Director level positions.  In this role, you may be responsible for developing and implementing health and safety strategies across an entire organisation. 
  • Quality Assurance Manager:  With experience in quality control and regulatory affairs, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Managers can transition to quality assurance positions. In this role, you may be responsible for developing and implementing quality control programmes to ensure product quality and compliance.   

Overall, the career progression for a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager may involve advancing to senior management positions, transitioning to regulatory affairs or quality assurance roles, or pursuing advanced education or certifications to broaden their skills and expertise.  

Routes to become a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager:

There are several routes to become a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager. Here are some of the most common routes.   

School leavers need to have minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade 4-9 including English and maths to enter into this field.   

There are two routes, the technical route and the education route. 

Level 3 T Level in Science followed either by university or a Degree Level Apprenticeship.  

A Levels followed by university or a Degree Level Apprenticeship.  

Advanced Level Apprenticeship followed by university or a Degree Level Apprenticeship.  

Examples 

Research and Development Technician (Level 3 Apprenticeship) followed by Health and Safety Apprentice (Level 5 Apprenticeship) then an R&D Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Graduate Apprentice (Degree Apprenticeship) which could then lead to work as an Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager. 

Examples 

A Level or T Level followed by Health and Safety Apprentice (Level 5 Apprenticeship) then R&D Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Graduate Apprentice (Degree Apprenticeship) which could then lead to work as an Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager. 

Another route would comprise of Employment in a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Facility, work experience in the Health and Safety department and transitioning across internally.  Relevant degree qualifications will still apply. 

However, other degrees are linked to this role, for example, a Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability, Environmental Management/Science, Engineering, Geography, or Natural Science (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, etc.) 

Apprenticeship

To become a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager via an apprenticeship route you would need to undertake a Research and Development Technician (Level 3 Apprenticeship), followed by a Health and Safety Apprenticeship (Level 5 Apprenticeship) and then undertake an R&D Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Graduate Apprentice (Degree Apprenticeship).  

 

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