Helen Bannister
Nottingham,Nottinghamshire
Summary
A Health and Safety Assurance Specialist with extensive public sector experience working client-side, contractor, and consultancy across local councils, housing associations, central government, and government departments. Brings strong expertise in Compliance and Safety including developing policies and audit standards, managing evacuation arrangements, Fire Drills and Incident Management, identifying areas of weakness and where improvements are required to meet legislation and best practice. Working with contractors and building management teams to ensure assets are maintained appropriately. Managing large scale public events and occupancy limits. Recognised for excellent organisational, communication, and critical thinking, with a proven ability to build effective stakeholder relationships including managing change, improving contractor compliance, and producing clear reports. Self-motivated and deadline-driven, with strong data interrogation, audit, and systems expertise. Delivers health, building safety and fire assurance across government estates by combining policy development, risk review and operational oversight. Supports refurbishment, transformation and emergency response activity with practical controls that protect people, assets and service continuity. Influences decision-making through concise reporting, sound judgement and strong collaboration with contractors, security teams, unions and senior stakeholders. Applies detailed legislative knowledge and systems expertise to identify weaknesses, resolve issues and embed consistent standards.
Overview
1
1
Certification
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Interim Health and Building Safety Assurance Specialist
Orbit Housing
Coventry
07.2026 - 09.2026
- Short term assignment covering some of the duties of the Group Health and Building Safety Lead.
- Writing, developing and reviewing Health and Safety policies. These included Contractor Performance including Procurement Act, Permit to Work, Sharps, Weils Disease, First Aid, driver and Agile working Policies. This included gathering information, collaborating with Senior Stakeholders and conducting research to review best working practices and any updates in Legislation.
Fire Safety Specialist
Government Property Agency
Nottingham, East Midlands
02.2023 - 03.2026
- Multi-Site Safety Leader working across a complex government estate including offices, secure areas, heritage, residential, warehouses, and communal environments in a predominantly Fire role.
- Escalation route for Compliance and stakeholders, helping them to resolve issues at site level and ensuring operations had the appropriate information, instruction and training available to them.
- Managed Health, Safety and Fire across portfolios in the North, Central, and London regions, including secure sites with Tier 1/2 space such as No 10 London, No 11 North and other key Whitehall buildings.
- Led fire safety assurance for key government properties including Whitehall buildings and high-occupancy estates, working closely with government departments, consultants, and stakeholders to maintain statutory compliance.
- Supported the Workplace Services Transformation Programme by embedding assurance and compliance processes, stabilising contracts, monitoring performance partners, and assuring 37 areas of compliance including asbestos, fire, and water.
- Created and implemented fire safety policies, audit processes, guidance, and training programmes to strengthen compliance, reduce risk, and improve consistency across the estate.
- Acted as Fire Safety Lead for major public events and highly sensitive government projects including managing planning, risk, incident response, communications, and post-incident debriefs including working with Security and onsite teams.
- Provided assurance on refurbishment and new-build projects up to £100m, working with fire engineers and consultants from delivery through to handover on issues including compartmentation, alarms, ramps, pods, EV charging, and evacuation arrangements. This included complying with regulation 38 requirements of the Building Regulations.
- Managed fire risk assessment validation, remedial scoping, incident review, corrective actions, and escalation support, helping resolve site-level compliance issues and improve operational performance.
- Reviewing suitability of Fire related documents such as Fire Risk Assessments, Fire Safety Management Plans, Fire Strategies for large complex buildings with up to 8000 people, plans and other related documents.
- Responding to critical fire safety emergencies/incidents including providing specialist support to building leads and holding fire safety debriefs to obtain additional information and plan further actions including creating action plans and issuing communications.
- Produced reports for senior leadership, working with the CPFSl, collaborated with partners and supply chains on audits, compliance, and small works projects up to £200,000.
- Led and supported site teams including facilities management and contractors in compliance processes
- Attending and contributing as Fire Safety Lead to Health and Safety Committees including working with Trade Unions
- Reporting into Board on escalated issues on occasion
Regional Safety, Security and Fire Officer
HMCTS
Birmingham
06.2021 - 12.2022
- Advised senior regional leaders on security, health, safety, and fire matters across the Court Service, providing real-time support to enable compliance with legislation and HMCTS policies.
- Monitored and promoted safety and security activity across the region, including support for specific threats, risks, and incidents.
- Led Fire Risk Assessment and audit programmes for fire and safety, reviewing procedures, identifying best practice, and improving audit systems to support high service delivery.
- Worked with CPFSl to ensure buildings remain compliant and progressed any SMART action plans.
HSE and Compliance Officer
UK Gas Services Ltd
Groby
08.2020 - 06.2021
- Worked as part of the Senior Management Team with responsibility for the health, safety, and wellbeing of approximately 70 employees.
- Provided competent health and safety and CDM advisory support across housing association and commercial refurbishment projects valued at up to £250,000 each.
- Produced risk assessments, construction phase plans and health and safety files, carried out regular site audits, and developed audit plans across business units.
- Supported the development of staff training and competence arrangements.
Health and Safety Consultant
TFM Consulting (UK) Ltd
Nottingham
12.2007 - 10.2018
- Provided competent health and safety advisory services across office, retail, residential, care, education, and construction environments.
- Developed health and safety management systems and advised clients on compliance with statutory regulations, approved codes of practice, PAS79, and BSI standards.
Education
Fire Manager Certificate
Vulcan Training
Milton Keynes01-2017
NEBOSH Level 3 in Fire Safety and Risk Management
Online
Nottingham01-2016
NEBOSH Level 3 in Construction Health and Safety
Online
Nottingham01-2014
NEBOSH Level 3 Occupational Health and Safety
Online
Nottingham01-2013
ILM Level 3 Certificate in First Line Management
Nottingham College
Nottingham01-2007
Skills
Regulatory Compliance including expert knowledge of Health, Safety and Fire Legislation including Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999), Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (2005), Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations (2022), Fire (Scotland) 2005 Act and Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, Building Safety Act (2022), British Standards, approved documents and codes of practice, Data Protection Act 2018
IT Skills - Proficient in SFG20 Maintenance Schedules, CAFM, Concept, Plan-On, Microsoft Office, AI Google Suite and virtual meeting platforms Data management and interrogation skills, including use of Power BI and maintenance management systems
Operational Safety Leadership & Risk Control
- Leading operational implementation of Health & Safety Policies, standards and assurance procedures across UK sites including Scotland
- Supporting Leadership Teams and business leaders in managing site-specific risks and providing assurance where required
- Ensuring safety considerations are embedded within daily operations, change activities and decision-making
- Providing visible leadership and direction to the safety community, ensuring consistency of approach and deployment of best practice
- Ensuring operational risks are managed within defined risk appetite and standards
- Ensuring operational hazards are identified, assessed and controlled through effective local risk management processes
- Providing hands on technical advice to resolve high risk or complex operational safety issues
- Ensuring appropriate safety governance, competence and assurance arrangements are applied to contractors, suppliers and third parties
- Ensuring safety risks are effectively managed
Safety Management Systems & Controls
- Own the effective application of the Safety Management System (SMS) at operational level, ensuring local compliance with ISO45001 and internal standards
- Ensuring site risk assessments, permits, safe systems of work and local procedures remain current, practical and legally compliant
- Supporting audits and inspections, address findings and ensuring sustainable closure of actions
- Ensuring operational controls remain effective and proportionate to identified risks
Emergency & Crisis Management
- Maintain responsibility for operational incident reporting, investigation and corrective action management, ensuring root cause analysis is robust and organisational learning is embedded
- Skilled in reviewing incident logs, collecting safety metrics and identifying operational trends or recurring failures
- Collaborating with regulators and enforcing authorities for inspections, investigations and site interventions
- Ensuring lessons learned from incidents, enforcement activity and audits are effectively communicated and embedded across the organisation
Engagement and Stakeholder Management
- Building operational safety capability across sites, coaching leaders and safety professionals in effective risk control
- Maintain effective consultation with Trade Unions
- Promoting visible leadership and engagement to strengthen site safety culture
- Supporting development of a positive safety culture through engagement, behavioural safety initiatives and leadership coaching
- Champion learning and knowledge sharing across the Safety function and wider business
- Incorporate frontline worker feedback and understand operational constraints or employee well-being concerns
Websites, Portfolios, Profiles
www.linkedin.com/in/helen-b-0994709b
Certification
IOSH experienced Route from TechIOSH to CMIOSH (completion expected December 2026), MIFSM – Member of the Institute of Fire Safety Managers
Accomplishments
- Acted as Fire Safety Lead for public or across government events including King’s Coronation, Election, No 11 North Events for the Treasury whilst ensuring robust planning, compliance, and risk control.
- Led fire safety workstreams on refurbishment projects valued at up to £100m across the Whitehall estate.
- Identified and resolved long-standing risk management issues within buildings, improving compliance and strengthening control measures with a reduction of issues of 80%
- Provided competent CDM advisory support on commercial refurbishment projects including large-scale office refurbishments, leisure centre development, housing developer schemes, social housing refurbishments and a respite centre for people with additional needs.
- Created and established audit processes, including delivery of training and guidance to support consistent assurance and continuous improvement.
- Embedded Health and Safety into operations through assessments, site visits, audits and effective systems
Education
Ongoing continuing professional development completed to maintain current knowledge of legislation, compliance requirements, and best practice in fire, health, and safety management.
Timeline
Interim Health and Building Safety Assurance Specialist
Orbit Housing
07.2026 - 09.2026
Fire Safety Specialist
Government Property Agency
02.2023 - 03.2026
Regional Safety, Security and Fire Officer
HMCTS
06.2021 - 12.2022
HSE and Compliance Officer
UK Gas Services Ltd
08.2020 - 06.2021
Health and Safety Consultant
TFM Consulting (UK) Ltd
12.2007 - 10.2018
Fire Manager Certificate
Vulcan Training
NEBOSH Level 3 in Fire Safety and Risk Management
Online
NEBOSH Level 3 in Construction Health and Safety
Online
NEBOSH Level 3 Occupational Health and Safety
Online
ILM Level 3 Certificate in First Line Management
Nottingham College