LEANNE NAIRN Health & safety consultant at Carney Consultancy
Did you grow up in the North East or did you decide to relocate here in later life?
I grew up in East Yorkshire and also spent over 11 years working offshore in the oil and gas industry.
I actually met my husband working offshore and we now live in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.
What is your role at Carney Consultancy?
I am a health and safety consultant, working within the construction industry. At Carney Consultancy, we are the company that people in the North East come to for Quality, Safety, Health and Environmental (QSHE) training and consultancy.
I enjoy working closely with clients to support and manage all aspects of health and safety whilst on construction sites. I ensure they have appropriate documentation and I provide advice for construction management teams, from hazard and risk advice to sequencing of works in terms of health and safety.
We also ensure our health and safety training courses are current and valid, meeting industry needs and, where appropriate, are accredited to the appropriate examining bodies.
We maintain close and regular contact with institutions like the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), British Standards and the British Safety Council.
I have also recently qualified as a fire risk assessor following a year of study. Including myself, there are three fire risk assessors within Carney Consultancy. We carry out assessments in residential properties managed by clients, in offices and more complex buildings such as factories and warehouses.
I have always had an interest in fire safety, however, the recent changes and developments in legislation, piqued my curiosity and, learning from my colleagues, I decided to further my career in this area. I have been provided with openhanded support and advice throughout the process and encouraged at every step.
Fire Safety of buildings and fire risk assessments have become more visible in recent years due to the tragic events at Grenfell Tower on the 14th June 2017. Five years on, and governing bodies are still actively rewriting fire safety legislation to determine what new safety standards can be achieved and maintained.
The Grenfell fire and Dame Judith Hackitt’s review highlighted a culture of non-compliance, indicating that certain fire safety measures were not adequate and not fully understood. The research, developments and improvements of Fire Safety Legislation is a positive outcome of such a tragedy.
What do you think it means to be a business person in the North East?
I think the North East has a huge amount to offer. People are its foundation and the region is renowned for being sociable and that very much flows throughout the team at Carney Consultancy.
Where do you like to eat out in the region?
There are lots of brilliant places. I particularly like Kaltur on High Bridge Street, Newcastle, which is a lovely Spanish wine bar and restaurant. I also really like Signature Lounge in Whitley Bay and Trenchers restaurant in Spanish City, Whitley Bay. I also enjoy the variety of restaurants that we have on the North Shields Fish Quay.
Are the people really friendlier?
I would say so, yes. Not being from the region and working offshore for 11 years from the age of 19, what I really like about the North East and working at Carney Consultancy is the friendliness and family feel.
I was fortunate to experience that same family environment working offshore with a fantastic crew. I am fortunate that I have settled into the North East and to work again with a great team of people.
What do you think is the best view in the North East?
It has to be from my house in Whitley Bay looking up towards St Mary’s Lighthouse.
Have you had any experience of working elsewhere and how did it compare?
Yes – I’m from Yorkshire and as previously mentioned, enjoyed working offshore for 11 years. To compare working offshore and onshore is hard to do because the roles were totally different. I have touched on the importance of a strong team and I have experienced that both offshore and in my current role.
Having spent over 11 years working off shore in the oil and gas industry I have gained valuable experience in a high-risk industry, with stringent safety systems.