Case Studies

Throughout her career, continuous learning has played a key role in her development. Zuzanna has successfully completed five NEBOSH qualifications: the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety, NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety, NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction (UK), NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation, and most recently the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Health and Safety Leadership Excellence, which she completed with NEBOSH Gold Learning Partner, SHEilds.

In this case study, Zuzanna shares her career journey, how NEBOSH qualifications have supported her progression into senior leadership, and how she applies her learning to manage complex health, safety, risk and compliance challenges within the social care sector.

Could you tell us a little about where you work?
I currently work for Quarriers as Head of Health, Safety, Risk Management and Compliance. Quarriers is one of Scotland’s leading social care charities, providing a wide range of services supporting children, young people, adults and older people across diverse settings.

I have worked for Quarriers since 2022, initially as Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing before progressing into my current role. The organisation operates in a complex and highly regulated environment where health and safety must be balanced alongside wellbeing, individual rights, service user choice and quality of care.

What is your current role within the organisation?
As Head of Health, Safety, Risk Management and Compliance, I lead the organisation’s health and safety strategy, governance, assurance, risk management and statutory compliance arrangements. My role includes advising senior leaders and Trustees, supporting strategic decision making, reviewing incident trends, leading investigations, delivering training and ensuring robust compliance across a diverse portfolio of services.

Before joining your current employer, could you tell us a little about your career journey?
My career began in Environmental Health following the completion of my Environmental Health degree and postgraduate studies. I worked within local government before moving into consultancy, auditing and training roles. Prior to joining Quarriers, I held senior audit leadership positions with responsibility across Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and North East England.

What inspired me to pursue health and safety was the opportunity to make a meaningful difference. Health and safety is about much more than compliance, it is about protecting people while enabling organisations to deliver their objectives safely and effectively.

Having successfully completed five NEBOSH qualifications, how have they helped you?
NEBOSH qualifications have played a significant role throughout my professional journey. Each qualification built on the last and enhanced both my technical knowledge and leadership capability.

What I value most about NEBOSH is its practical application. The learning can be directly applied to real workplace challenges. As I progressed into increasingly complex leadership roles, the knowledge gained through NEBOSH enabled me to make informed decisions, provide assurance to senior leaders and develop practical solutions to complex organisational challenges.

Working within social care requires balancing health and safety, human rights, positive risk taking, wellbeing and quality of care. The knowledge gained through NEBOSH has strengthened my ability to navigate these complexities with confidence.

Since completing these qualifications, have you made any changes or improvements?
Absolutely. NEBOSH has influenced how I approach organisational risk management, governance and assurance. Rather than focusing purely on compliance, I place greater emphasis on culture, leadership, organisational learning and sustainable improvement.

Could you give us an example of when you have applied knowledge gained through your NEBOSH studies?
One area where NEBOSH learning has been particularly valuable is incident investigation and organisational learning. In social care, incidents are rarely straightforward and often involve multiple organisational, behavioural and environmental factors.

The investigation techniques gained through NEBOSH enabled me to look beyond immediate causes and identify wider system improvements. This has resulted in stronger controls, improved communication and more effective organisational learning.

Has achieving these qualifications influenced your future career plans?
Definitely. NEBOSH has strengthened both my technical expertise and strategic leadership capability. It has reinforced my passion for governance, risk management and organisational assurance, and I remain committed to continuous professional development.

What do you enjoy most about working in health and safety?
I enjoy making a positive difference to people and organisations. I particularly enjoy helping organisations address complex challenges and finding practical, proportionate solutions that protect people while supporting operational objectives.

What achievement are you most proud of?
I am most proud of progressing into a senior strategic leadership role while maintaining a people-centred approach to health and safety. I am also proud of achieving Chartered IOSH membership and successfully completing five NEBOSH qualifications.

What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in health and safety?
Embrace learning opportunities. A career in health and safety provides opportunities to work across many sectors and make a meaningful difference.
NEBOSH qualifications provide practical knowledge which can be applied immediately and support career progression at every stage in various settings. Completing the five NEBOSH qualifications I have taken has been a journey rather than a single achievement. Whether supporting operational teams, managing organisational risk, investigating incidents or advising senior leaders and Trustees, NEBOSH has enhanced my knowledge, strengthened my confidence and enabled me to make a greater contribution to the organisations I serve.