GATELODGE TALKS TO VICTORIA GLOVER ABOUT BECOMING A POA HEALTH & SAFETY REP

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TALK TO GATELODGE.

CAN YOU PLEASE TELL OUR READERS A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF? CAREER HISTORY, WHERE YOU WORK ETC.

My name is Victoria Glover and I have been at HMP/YOI Chelmsford for eight years. I started my career as an officer, which I enjoyed, and then applied for a temp SO position on quite a few occasions and was finally successful and was the SO of the induction wing. It was hard work, but I enjoyed my time on the wing tremendously. I then become the COVID lead and very much enjoyed this role, which was all about data and making sure that staff and prisoners were kept safe during this time, learning about legislation and making sure that everyone adhered to the rules at the time.

Once COVID was over and things were getting back to some form of normal, I was given the opportunity to stay as a CM and was asked if I would like to undertake VR. I would then go on to become the CM of Healthcare.

Currently I am a Band 5 with Learning and Development, training new staff.

TELL US ABOUT HMP CHELMSFORD. HMP/YOI

Chelmsford is a category B local male adult and young offender institution. It can accommodate up to 745 prisoners and is run by HMPPS.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO BECOME A POA HEALTH & SAFETY REP?

When the positions came out for the POA committee, I was in two minds to put my name down as I didn’t know if I would be any good. To my surprise, staff kept asking me ‘why is your name not on there?’ So after about a week of thinking about it, I put my name down and was voted in as a committee member. I have now been on the committee for about five or six years and staff feel they can speak to me and know that I will get things done.

I was interested in the health and safety aspect, but at the time we had a health and safety rep.

When our H&S rep left the service, I emailed the chairman asking if I could take up this post and, as they say, the rest is history.

I contacted Jackie Marshall, our area NEC rep, and I was then allocated the courses that I needed to complete.

An advertisement came out asking for volunteers for the POA H&S Consultative Committee. Of course, I could not let this opportunity pass me by, so I emailed Jackie and stated that I was interested in this, but because of being a new health and safety rep, I didn’t really know a lot but was willing to learn.

I remember the day I got a phone call to say I would be a member of the Consultative Committee and one of the area reps for the Eastern region. I was in shock: Could I do this? Would I be any good? But then it hit me: not everyone knows everything and we must all start somewhere, so yes, I embraced it.

I am still learning and having to ask questions, but this is how we learn and things change all the time, so we never really know everything anyway. But I am so glad that I sent that expression of interest.

WHERE DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE TRAINING?

I first spoke to our POA chair and asked what qualifications I would need and was informed that I would complete a course at first, which is when I contacted Jackie Marshall.

I spoke to Jackie about the training and what I would need to complete, as I had limited knowledge of Health and Safety.

WHAT DID YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT THE TRAINING?

Gaining knowledge and networking. I came away from the training knowing far more than when I started and working with other H&S reps from different establishments meant I could take away ideas from others.

WHAT DID YOU EXPECT TO GET FROM THE TRAINING?

I suppose I expected to come away and know everything about Health and Safety, but it’s not quite like that. It’s about getting the basics and learning more in your own time, which I have done and this has helped immensely. I came away from the training knowing the legislation was beneficial to me.

DID THE TRAINING MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS?

Even though the training was good, and I learned so much, I do believe we could have gone over the things that we would need more in our place of work, including risk assessments and SSOW, which were not covered.

The course was split over a couple of months. What I didn’t like was that part of this course was online; to me, it would have been better as a week-long course. Others on the course agreed, as some could not complete the two days online, and we were not informed of the online part until we attended the start of the course.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU LEARNED?

That we do not know everything; to look things up and read about them; to make sure that you reference things; and how important health and safety is during our everyday lives.

DO YOU THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE POA CONTINUES TO FACILITATE H&S TRAINING?

I think it is very important for the POA to carry this on, as we need the knowledge to represent and serve our members to the best of our ability.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHERS THINKING OF BECOMING A POA H&S REP?

Go for it, this has been the best course that I have done. I love to challenge things and make sure that everyone has a safe working environment.