Health and safety manager jobs are among the most senior and highest-paid safety roles in UK construction. With 25 construction fatalities reported by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2025/26 and tightening enforcement under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), every major contractor needs a competent H&S manager leading their safety function. Search sitejobs-code15 on Google to find SiteJobs and browse live health and safety manager vacancies across the UK.
What Is a Health and Safety Manager?
A health and safety manager (H&S manager) is the senior professional responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing health and safety management systems across construction projects or programmes. Unlike a health and safety advisor who focuses on day-to-day site inspections and compliance tasks, the H&S manager takes a strategic view - setting policies, managing teams of advisors, reporting to board-level executives, and ensuring organisational compliance with all applicable legislation.
Under Regulation 13 of CDM 2015, principal contractors must plan, manage, monitor and coordinate the construction phase so that risks are properly controlled. The H&S manager is the person who designs the systems and procedures that make this possible. The HSE guidance for principal contractors states that principal contractors must have the skills, knowledge, experience and organisational capability to carry out this work - the H&S manager provides that capability.
H&S managers also ensure compliance with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), the Work at Height Regulations 2005, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).
HSE Statistics - Why Health and Safety Managers Matter
According to the latest HSE fatal injury statistics for 2025/26, 126 workers were killed in work-related accidents across all industries in Great Britain. Construction accounted for 25 of those fatalities - the highest of any sector. The main kinds of fatal accident across all industries in 2025/26 were:
- Falls from a height: 31 fatalities (the largest single category)
- Struck by moving vehicle: 24 fatalities
- Struck by moving object: 21 fatalities
- Trapped by something collapsing or overturning: 18 fatalities
- Contact with moving machinery: 10 fatalities
The HSE also estimates that around 2.5 million working days are lost each year in construction due to workplace injury and work-related ill health. The estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions was £22.9 billion across all industries in 2023/24. Health and safety managers are the strategic leaders responsible for driving these numbers down through proactive safety management rather than reactive incident response.
The HSE publishes full construction statistics at hse.gov.uk/.../construction.pdf and enforcement data is available on the HSE enforcement register.
Health and Safety Manager vs Health and Safety Advisor
The distinction between an H&S manager and an H&S advisor is important. Both roles exist on most major construction projects, but the responsibilities and pay scales differ significantly:
| Aspect | H&S Advisor | H&S Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Site inspections, RAMS, toolbox talks | Strategy, policy, team management, systems |
| Typical qualifications | NEBOSH Certificate | NEBOSH Diploma, CMIOSH |
| Reports to | H&S Manager or Project Manager | Operations Director or Board |
| Salary range | £35K-£55K | £48K-£88K+ |
| Day rate (contract) | £200-£400/day | £300-£500/day |
| Team management | No | Yes - manages advisors and officers |
| CDM role | Supports principal contractor | Advises on PD/PC appointments, sets H&S policy |
Many H&S managers start as advisors and progress after gaining their NEBOSH Diploma and CMIOSH status. See our guide on health and safety advisor jobs for details on the advisor role.
What Qualifications Do You Need?
Health and safety manager roles require a higher level of qualification than advisor positions. The qualification ladder for H&S managers is:
- NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety: The minimum baseline for entering the H&S profession. Covers risk assessment, hazard control, and legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Details at nebosh.org.uk/qualifications.
- NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction (UK): A Level 7 qualification specifically for construction H&S professionals, aligned to CDM 2015. Covers excavation, demolition, working at height, mobile plant, fire, and chemical safety. Minimum 70 taught hours plus a 48-hour open book examination. Over 20,000 people hold this qualification. Holders are eligible to apply for the CSCS Academically Qualified Person (AQP) card. Details at nebosh.org.uk/.../construction-uk.
- NEBOSH Level 6 National Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals: The gold standard for H&S managers. This is the replacement qualification for the NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety and meets the academic requirements for Graduate membership of IOSH (GradIOSH), which is the pathway to Chartered status. Details at nebosh.org.uk/.../national-diploma.
Beyond qualifications, professional membership of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is the recognised marker of professional competence:
- Graduate membership (GradIOSH): For NEBOSH Diploma holders - the academic route to Chartered status
- Chartered Member (CMIOSH): The professional benchmark for H&S managers. Requires GradIOSH plus completion of the IOSH Initial Professional Development (IPD) scheme or the Professional Development Assessment (PDA). CMIOSH holders must maintain CPD annually. Annual membership costs £207/year. Full details at iosh.com/membership/levels/chartered.
- Chartered Fellow (CFIOSH): For senior professionals with sustained contribution to the profession
According to IOSH, CMIOSH is internationally recognised as the mark of professional excellence in health and safety. Tier 1 contractors increasingly require CMIOSH for senior H&S manager appointments.
CSCS Card for Health and Safety Managers
Health and safety managers who need site access should hold the appropriate CSCS card:
- Black Manager Card: The primary card for H&S managers. Requires an approved construction management or technical qualification at Level 5 or above (such as an NVQ Level 5 in Occupational Health and Safety or Construction Site Management) plus a current CITB Health, Safety and Environment test pass. The MAP test costs £23.50 and must be booked through Pearson VUE. See our guide on booking the CSCS MAP test. Details at cscs.uk.com/.../supervisors-and-managers.
- White Professionally Qualified Person (PQP) Card: For CMIOSH holders who are members of a recognised professional body. Valid for 5 years. Details at cscs.uk.com/.../academically-and-professionally-qualified.
All CSCS cards must be verified using CSCS Smart Check before allowing site access. See our guide on checking a CSCS card.
Health and Safety Manager Pay Rates 2026
Pay rates for health and safety managers in UK construction vary by experience, qualifications, location, and project type. Current ranges from live SiteJobs listings and industry benchmark data:
| Role / Region | Day Rate (Contract) | Permanent Salary |
|---|---|---|
| London - Senior H&S Manager (CMIOSH) | £420-£500/day | £72,000-£88,000 |
| London - H&S Manager (NEBOSH Diploma, 3-7 yrs) | £350-£420/day | £62,000-£75,000 |
| South East - H&S Manager | £330-£400/day | £58,000-£70,000 |
| Midlands - H&S Manager | £300-£380/day | £53,000-£66,000 |
| North West / Yorkshire - H&S Manager | £285-£360/day | £50,000-£63,000 |
| H&S Advisor / Officer (entry to 3 yrs, national) | £220-£300/day | £38,000-£52,000 |
| Head of H&S / Group H&S Director | £450-£600+/day | £90,000-£120,000+ |
Most permanent H&S manager roles include a package with car or car allowance (£4,000-£6,500), pension, and 25+ days holiday due to multi-site travel requirements. Contract H&S managers are typically engaged for specific project phases, maternity cover, or large mobilisations. NEBOSH Diploma holders with CMIOSH status and CDM Principal Designer experience command the highest contract rates. Umbrella employment is most common for contract roles due to IR35 risk for H&S advisory positions.
Key Responsibilities of a Health and Safety Manager
The day-to-day responsibilities of a construction health and safety manager typically include:
- Health and safety management systems: Developing, implementing, and maintaining the company H&S management system, typically aligned to HSG65 Managing for Health and Safety or ISO 45001.
- CDM 2015 compliance: Advising the principal contractor and client on CDM duties, ensuring construction phase plans are prepared and maintained, and coordinating with the principal designer on pre-construction information.
- Policy development: Writing and reviewing the company health and safety policy, as required by Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
- RIDDOR reporting: Ensuring all notifiable accidents, dangerous occurrences, and occupational diseases are reported to the HSE under RIDDOR 2013, and maintaining the accident book.
- Audits and inspections: Conducting formal H&S audits of sites and projects, identifying systemic issues, and implementing corrective actions across the organisation.
- Incident investigation: Leading investigations into serious accidents and near-misses, identifying root causes, and implementing organisational learning to prevent recurrence.
- Team management: Line-managing H&S advisors and officers, allocating site coverage, and supporting their professional development.
- Training and competency: Overseeing the H&S training programme, ensuring all workers receive site-specific inductions, and maintaining the competency register for subcontractors.
- Executive reporting: Preparing H&S performance reports for the board, including leading and lagging indicators, and presenting at senior leadership meetings.
- Regulatory liaison: Acting as the primary point of contact for HSE inspections, enforcement notices, and investigations.
- CDM Principal Designer support: Where the organisation acts as principal designer, the H&S manager supports the coordination of health and safety during the pre-construction phase. See our guide on health and safety in UK construction for more on CDM duty holders.
How to Become a Health and Safety Manager in Construction
The most common career routes into construction H&S management are:
- Progression from H&S advisor: The most common route. Advisors with 3-5 years of site experience complete the NEBOSH National Diploma, achieve GradIOSH, then progress to CMIOSH through the IOSH IPD scheme. Total progression time is typically 5-8 years from entry to H&S manager.
- From a trade or site management background: Experienced site managers, engineers, or tradespeople with strong safety records transition into H&S management by completing NEBOSH qualifications. Their site experience is highly valued by employers.
- Direct entry from another industry: H&S managers from manufacturing, oil and gas, nuclear, or facilities management can transition to construction by completing the NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction (UK) qualification, which covers construction-specific legislation and hazards.
- University route: Graduates with degrees in occupational health and safety, environmental health, or construction management can enter H&S roles directly, typically starting as H&S officers or advisors before progressing to manager level.
The HSE guidance for your role provides official information on legal duties for each construction role.
What Employers Are Hiring Now?
Health and safety manager vacancies on SiteJobs come from a range of employers:
- Tier 1 contractors: Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall, Kier, Laing O'Rourke, Mace, Skanska, and Costain regularly recruit H&S managers for major projects. These roles typically require CMIOSH and 5+ years of construction H&S experience.
- Infrastructure projects: HS2, Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C, Lower Thames Crossing, and other mega-projects require large H&S teams with managers at every level. These projects often offer the highest day rates.
- Housebuilders: Volume housebuilders including Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Homes, and Bellway appoint regional H&S managers to cover multiple sites.
- Specialist contractors: Demolition, asbestos removal, scaffolding, and ground engineering contractors need dedicated H&S managers due to the high-risk nature of their work.
- Consultancies: Health and safety consultancies provide H&S managers to smaller contractors on a retained or interim basis. These roles often involve covering multiple clients across a region.
- Public sector: Local authorities, NHS trusts, and government departments employ H&S managers for their construction and estates programmes.
Instead of searching each employer's careers page individually, browse all their H&S manager vacancies in one place on SiteJobs. Every listing has a real phone number so you can call direct. Search sitejobs-code15 on Google to find us.
Health and Safety Manager Career Progression
H&S managers can progress into several senior roles:
- Senior H&S Manager: Managing H&S across a division or multiple projects - £65,000-£85,000/annum
- Head of Health and Safety: Leading the H&S function for a business unit - £70,000-£100,000/annum
- Group H&S Director: Board-level H&S leadership across the entire organisation - £90,000-£120,000+/annum
- Independent H&S Consultant: Self-employed advisory work across multiple clients - earnings unlimited
- CDM Principal Designer: Specialist role coordinating H&S during pre-construction under CDM 2015 - £350-£600/day
Multilingual Information / Informatie multilingva
Romana
Locuri de munca manager protectia muncii in constructii UK. Calificare NEBOSH Diploma si CMIOSH necesare pentru rolurile senior. Responsabilitati include sisteme de management H&S, conformitate CDM 2015, raportare RIDDOR, management de echipa. Salarii de la £48K la £88K+. Cauta sitejobs-code15 pe Google si suna direct.
Shqip
Pune menaxher sigurie dhe shendetesie ne ndertim UK. Kualifikimi NEBOSH Diploma dhe CMIOSH i domosdoshem per rolet e larta. Pergjegjesite perfshijne sisteme menaxhimi H&S, perputhje CDM 2015, raportim RIDDOR, menaxhim ekipe. Paga nga £48K deri £88K+. Kerko sitejobs-code15 ne Google dhe telefono direkt.
Russkij
Rabota menedzherom po okhrane truda v stroitelstve UK. Trebuyetsya NEBOSH Diploma i CMIOSH dlya starshikh dolzhnostey. Obyazannosti vklyuchayut sistemy upravleniya H&S, sootvetstviye CDM 2015, otchetnost RIDDOR, upravleniye komandoy. Zarplata ot £48K do £88K+. Ischite sitejobs-code15 v Google i zvonite napryamuyu.
Browse All Health and Safety Manager Jobs
See all live health and safety manager vacancies on SiteJobs. Call direct, no registration walls. Search sitejobs-code15 on Google.
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