Case Studies

How did you first become interested in health and safety, and when did you know it was the right career for you?

I first started my career in health and safety as a Safety Officer in 2013, working in the field until 2016. During those early years, I gained valuable practical experience, but I also realised that I wanted to build a much stronger foundation of knowledge. I wanted to understand the core principles behind what we do in practice so that I could make better decisions and apply health and safety principles more effectively in the workplace.
I truly realised that health and safety was the right career for me after I stepped away from the field to work as a teacher in a different sector for a year. That period gave me the opportunity to reflect on what I really wanted from my career, and I realised how much I missed health and safety and how passionate I was about it. I decided to return to the profession and invest seriously in my education and professional development, alongside gaining additional practical experience. That decision marked a major turning point, confirming that health and safety was the career I wanted to build my future around.

You have completed the full NEBOSH pathway: The Health and Safety at Work Award, the NEBOSH International General Certificate, followed by the NEBOSH International Level 6 Diploma. In addition, you have completed the HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation. Why did you choose each of these qualifications?

I chose these qualifications as part of a deliberate, long-term learning journey rather than simply treating them as a series of qualifications to complete. I wanted to develop my knowledge progressively, giving myself enough time at each stage to understand the concepts, apply them in practice, and move on to the next level with a solid foundation.

• Health and Safety at Work Award: I began here to strengthen my understanding of the fundamentals.
• International General Certificate (IGC): This allowed me to broaden that foundational knowledge and develop a structured understanding of how health and safety should be managed systematically in the workplace.
• HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation: As my experience grew, I became increasingly interested in looking beyond what is immediately visible. I wanted to understand why incidents happen, what lies behind a problem, and how to address the underlying root causes rather than just the immediate symptoms. This course directly supported that analytical way of thinking.
• International Level 6 Diploma: This was the natural culmination. I wanted to go deeper, challenge my perspective, and develop a comprehensive understanding of complex health and safety systems.

For me, the progression was essential: learn the fundamentals, apply them, gain hands-on experience, reflect, and then advance. I consciously chose not to rush from one qualification to another; I wanted to enjoy the learning process and ensure each step properly prepared me for the next.

How has achieving your NEBOSH qualifications helped you?

My NEBOSH qualifications have benefited my career in ways that go far beyond holding a recognised qualification. The greatest benefit has been how they fundamentally transformed the way I approach health and safety in practice.

While I already had practical field experience, studying NEBOSH helped me connect that experience with a strong theoretical framework. I became much more confident in asking the right questions, analysing risks critically, and looking beyond surface-level issues to understand wider organisational factors.

This has been particularly valuable as my career has progressed and my responsibilities have grown. Rather than viewing health and safety as simply identifying hazards or enforcing compliance, I have learned to evaluate the bigger picture: why a risk exists, whether controls are genuinely effective, how human and organisational factors influence performance, and what can be done to achieve sustainable improvement.

Furthermore, the qualifications have built my professional confidence. When I make a recommendation or challenge an existing practice, I can back up my position with evidence, sound rationale, and a structured understanding of risk. Most importantly, NEBOSH has encouraged me to remain curious; it taught me that health and safety is a field where you never stop learning.

Congratulations on being named a 2026 joint Best Candidate for Unit DI2 of the NEBOSH International Diploma! What is the best thing you’ve learned through your Diploma studies?

One of the most valuable insights I gained through the Diploma is learning how to deconstruct and analyse complex health and safety problems rather than accepting the most obvious explanations.

In practice, an incident or system failure rarely has a single cause. There are almost always interconnected factors: human, organisational, technical, and managerial. Understanding how these elements interact is where true organisational learning begins. The Diploma sharpened my ability to look past immediate causes, examine underlying layers, and understand system relationships.

It also taught me to keep asking (Why?) and not stop at the first convenient answer. Sometimes what appears to be the cause is merely a symptom of a deeper systemic failure. Learning to analyse information critically, challenge assumptions, and trace contributing factors back through the system has permanently enhanced how I approach problem-solving in my daily work.

You currently work as an HSE Professional for FLOW Consortium, the company that is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Riyadh Metro, and with whom you have worked since 2020. Can you tell us a little bit about what your day-to-day role entails?

Working for FLOW Consortium means that no two days are ever the same. It is a highly dynamic and fast-paced operational environment, so my role blends field activities, technical reviews, risk management, and continuous cross-departmental coordination.

A typical day involves conducting HSE inspections across stations, depots, and facilities, reviewing risk assessments and safe systems of work, monitoring maintenance operations, and ensuring corrective actions are effectively implemented. I also review Permits to Work (PTW) and safety documentation to verify that appropriate control measures are established before activities commence.

A significant portion of my role involves collaborating closely with Operations, Maintenance, and technical teams. Health and safety within FLOW cannot operate in a silo, making clear communication essential. I provide HSE guidance, follow up on safety observations, and help teams find practical solutions that control risk without compromising operational demands.

My responsibilities also cover emergency preparedness, incident and near-miss investigations, and assessing whether existing controls remain fit for purpose. Balancing technical analysis with a strong presence on the ground is what makes the role both challenging and rewarding.

What do you find most rewarding and most challenging about working on such a large-scale project?

Most Rewarding: Seeing a safety concern move from initial identification to concrete, tangible improvement. On a large-scale railway project, even a single procedural or physical improvement can positively impact employees, contractors, and passengers alike, giving the work deep purpose.

Most Challenging: Navigating complexity. Many safety challenges involve multiple systems, high-risk activities, and diverse stakeholders, meaning solutions are rarely the responsibility of just one team. It requires persistence, active listening, and a solid grasp of both safety and operational priorities to achieve practical, long-term solutions.

Looking back on your career to date, what achievement are you most proud of?

Being named a 2025 joint Best Candidate for Unit DI2 of the NEBOSH International Diploma. For me, it represents much more than just a formal award.
I returned to health and safety with a clear determination to build my expertise step by step. I never approached learning as a quick exercise in collecting qualification certificates; I wanted to deeply understand, apply, question, and continuously evolve.

Being recognised as a Best Candidate is a deeply meaningful milestone. It validates years of dedication to a field I deliberately chose to return to, and it confirms that taking the time to build knowledge progressively was worth every effort. It serves as a powerful motivator to keep learning, as I view this milestone not as the destination, but as the foundation to build on.

What’s next for your career?

My ambition is to continue growing both professionally and academically within the health and safety discipline. Completing the Diploma is a major milestone, but I see it as part of a lifelong learning journey. I want to continue expanding my technical expertise, gain broader industry exposure, and eventually step into strategic HSE leadership roles where I can influence decision-making and actively shape strong safety cultures.

Ultimately, my goal is not just about reaching a specific job title; it is about becoming a well-rounded HSE professional whose judgement, knowledge, and integrity drive meaningful, lasting change.

In your opinion, what qualities do you believe a health and safety professional needs to be successful?

I believe a successful health and safety professional must be curious, analytical, and committed to lifelong learning. It is crucial not to accept things at face value, but to ask thoughtful questions and look at the broader systemic factors behind every issue.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills are equally vital. Health and safety is fundamentally about people, not just enforcing rules. You must be able to listen, understand operational perspectives, and communicate in a way that builds trust and fosters active collaboration.

Finally, integrity and professional courage are indispensable. There are times when you must challenge unsafe practices or raise difficult concerns. However, the goal should never be to assign blame, but to understand what happened, learn from it, and prevent recurrence.

What would your advice be to anyone at the start of their health and safety career, especially other women in the industry?

My main advice is to be patient with your journey. Build your knowledge step by step and never disconnect theory from practical reality. Spend time on the ground, ask questions, listen to experienced professionals, and always seek to understand why things are done a certain way.

Do not be intimidated by what you don't know at the beginning. Developing sound professional judgement takes time. Stay curious, embrace challenges and even setbacks as valuable learning opportunities.

For women: Do not let technical or traditionally male-dominated environments make you doubt whether you belong. Let your competence, professionalism, and the quality of your work speak for you. Be confident in voicing your technical opinions, asking questions, and bringing your unique perspective to the table.

Above all, build your career at your own pace. You don't need to follow anyone else's timeline. Focus on becoming genuinely competent rather than rushing and enjoy the learning process along the way.