In many smaller organisations Health & Safety is often an add-on or a small part of someone’s role (Office manager, Quality manager, Facilities manager) accordingly the time and expertise available can be limited. As the H&S role is not the core role there can be a real need for the ‘part-role’ advisor to have access to a trusted source of advice.
Even where the employer has trained or appointed an in-house advisor their inexperience or sense of isolation can make having a trusted source of advice invaluable; for some this may be seen as a form of mentoring.
This arrangement also has the benefit for the organisation of having continued access to advice from someone familiar when, for example, the in-house advisor has leave.
