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Jim Anderson BSc (Hons) CMIOSH MIIRSM AIEMA
Principal Health & Safety Consultant
Jim has spent many years working for the Ministry of Defence with the Royal Navy in engineering and manufacturing. He has in-depth experience of health, safety and enviromental training and consultancy. He delivers the NEBOSH Diploma.
Jim delivers a range of courses in the UK, the Gulf and internationally.
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Close-up on Jim Anderson (featured in May 2008 Connaught Connection Newsletter)
Connaught Connection: When did you join Connaught?
Jim Anderson: I've been working for Connaught full-time for almost five years, but I was involved with associate work with the company before then. Up to that time, I had spent almost the whole of my adult working life in the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
Connaught Connection: Tell us (as much as you are allowed to!) about your experiences in the MOD
Jim Anderson: I had some fantastic experiences working for the MOD and yes, I can't tell you about many of them, but I can tell you that I took part (as part of the Health and Safety team) in to providing guidance and advice relating to actions carried out by peace protesters, ship board accidents and environmental incidents. I also had a great time teaching risk assessment to 45 commando at their camp in Arbroath. For me, as a Scotsman who loves his homeland, working for the MOD was brilliant, as so many of their sites are based in my homeland; initially I worked in Berkshire at Aldermaston, but the majority of my working life was spent as Production Manager at RNAD Coulport on Loch Long where the Polaris submarines and Trident missile system are based. I also worked at Faslane which is on Gare Loch, where the Vanguard nuclear submarines are based.
Connaught Connection: How did you move into Health and Safety?
Jim Anderson: When I was working at Aldermaston I became a TUC Steward and was sent on a Trade Union accredited Health and Safety course. I realised then, that Health and Safety is about people; it's about protecting their working environment and improving their general well being and this has positive implications on society as a whole.
Connaught Connection: What do you enjoy about consultancy and training with Connaught?
Jim Anderson: It is so satisfying when training delegates to realise, that potentially, you can help prevent accidents or injuries and ill health at work. The same applies to consultancy work, often you know that companies have requested help to meet compliance, but time after time, they find that management systems we introduce have also improved their effectiveness. In fact it is an observation I made so often, I have incorporated the findings from research into my Masters Degree in my thesis entitled, "Is there any value in providing Health and Safety training". Another reason why I enjoy working with Connaught is the diversity of clients and the worldwide travel. Yesterday I returned from a two week project in New Zealand , which was exciting, challenging, tremendously interesting and a great experience. I regularly travel to the Gulf States and have also been to Egypt . Of course I also love working with clients in the UK , particularly those based in Scotland like Diageo, Edrington, Robert Wiseman Diaries and HBOS!
Connaught Connection: Do you have any interesting work experiences you'd like to tell us about?
Jim Anderson: There are so many. However there's one, that's more an observation on another culture and how it made me think how much we have changed in the UK . When I was running a course in Maadi in Cairo , Egypt , we presented the course in the Maadi Public Library. We were there over a number of days and in that time I was struck by how the library was being used by people of all ages for education and life-long learning, in the way that our public libraries and working men's institutes were used in the same way. During the time we were there, Maadi Library was full of people of all ages wanting to improve their knowledge of the world about them and it really was central to their lives and community. It made me realise how we in Britain have changed; so many libraries are closed down and the desire to improve one's mind is not as high on the agenda for many people.
Connaught Connection: Do you have any time for life outside of work?
Jim Anderson: When I'm not in work, and not working on my Masters Degree, I will often be found at the Golf course in Aberfoyle in the Trossachs, working hard to get my handicap down from 26 to 18. As a Glasgow Hawks (Rugby Union) supporter, you'll find me shouting them on from the stands.
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