A JOURNEY TO SAFETY

By Helen Purchon, 2025

Non-Conventional

My journey into the world of Health and Safety has been anything but conventional. Rather than starting in construction sites or office environments, mine began with a clarinet in hand, marching in step with the British Army. For 24 years, I proudly served as a musician under the Royal Corps of Army Music(RCAM), performing first with The Band and Bugles of The Light Division and, following our 2007 merger, with The Band and Bugles of The Rifles. My love for music started young. I picked up the clarinet at eleven, and by fourteen, I knew I wanted to make it my career. The military offered the perfect stage: world-class training, a strong sense of purpose, and even two clarinets, one pristine for indoor concerts, the other battle-worn for outdoor parades.

Hearing

While music was my profession, I spent much of my career alongside buglers, infantry soldiers whose powerful, unrestrained blasts were a far cry from the controlled dynamics of trained musicians. There was no volume knob on a bugle, and safety considerations were, at times, minimal compared to today’s standards.

Over time, the consequences of prolonged exposure to high-decibel environments began to take their toll. In 2018, I developed tinnitus, followed by Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in my left ear, injuries accumulated from years of clarinet performances, cymbal crashes, and countless ceremonies, including the King’s Coronation. Eventually, my hearing loss made it impossible to continue performing as a soldier-musician.

Now, as I transition into the field of Health and Safety, I bring with me a wealth of lived experience. I’ve witnessed first hand how evolving safety protocols, or the lack there of, can shape a person’s wellbeing. This new chapter is not just a career shift, but a mission: to ensure that others benefit from the lessons I’ve learned the hard way.

Noise Assessor

During the final two years of my Army career, I took on the role of Health & Safety NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) for the band. A position that kept me on my toes and, more importantly, planted the seed for my next chapter. I
completed a three day noise assessor course and became the band’s go-to expert on sound safety, officially taking on the responsibility of noise assessments.
From then on, I was the first port of call when it came to hearing protection. I managed everyone’s electronic hearing PPE, checking, distributing spare parts, and ensuring batteries were replaced every 2–3 weeks to keep them
functioning properly. It wasn’t just about issuing kit, it was about safeguarding hearing in a high-decibel environment. My responsibilities didn’t stop there. I was also the Risk Assessor for the band, inspecting equipment and writing official risk assessments for a wide range of activities. From welcoming returning service members after maternity leave, including considerations for breastfeeding mothers, to managing events like visiting youth groups or public performances such as Poppy Day at Waterloo Station, I covered it all. Even taking down staging in our
practice room needed to be carefully risk assessed. What surprised me was how much I enjoyed it, and how good I was at it. Much of it came down to common sense, but I quickly realised that writing things down and following
procedure mattered. As a Yorkshire lass, I’ve always been someone who “says it how it is,” and I found that health and safety is exactly that, black and white, straightforward, and essential.

On the Road to NEBOSH

So, when it came time for resettlement, I chose to pursue the NEBOSH General Certificate. It’s a widely respected qualification and a great foundational step, especially since I knew the civilian approach to risk assessment would be quite different from the military’s. There were definitely gaps in my knowledge, but I was determined to bridge
them.
I recently sat the NEBOSH exam and am now awaiting the results. Transitioning from military life to the civilian workforce hasn’t been without its challenges, but I was lucky to have an understanding first employer who
supported me through the process. Leaving behind a world I knew so well and stepping into something new was daunting, but all I could do was give it my best. And I did.

Learning the Rope

Like many in the military, I spent years focused on the mission, the team, and the structured life that service provides. You’re
told where to be, what to do, when to eat, and even what to wear. It’s a unique world, intensely purpose-driven but also quite
insulated. Networking? CVs? LinkedIn? Those were things for “civvies”… until suddenly, they weren’t.
Transitioning out of the forces felt like being dropped into unfamiliar territory. Writing a CV was my first mountain. How do you even start putting military experience into civilian words? Thankfully, support was out there. I attended the Career Transition Workshop, a must for all service leavers, where we were guided through job searching, CV writing, and yes, how to use LinkedIn.
With the help of a Careers Consultant, I began tailoring multiple CVs to different roles and learning how to frame my military skills in ways that employers understand and value. Things started to click.

Resettlement

In January 2025, with my end-of-service date set for May 12th, I officially launched my job search. Within a week, I landed an interview for a Health & Safety Advisor role, through LinkedIn, of all places! I was thrilled (and slightly shocked). The interview itself was a bit nerve-wracking, but it was a fantastic experience. I didn’t get the role, but I gained something even more valuable: confidence.
Job hunting became my new mission. I filled my weeks with career fairs, resettlement courses, and studying for my NEBOSH
General Certificate. I also secured a work placement with a construction company to build real-world experience, because I quickly learned that while skills are transferable, experience still matters. A friend helped revamp my CV to align more
closely with Health & Safety roles, which led to two or three more interviews. While I wasn’t selected due to limited experience, each conversation taught me something new and moved me forward. By March and April, I was on Terminal Leave and ready to work immediately. I was in the thick of the transition, learning, applying, adapting. Navigating LinkedIn has been its own journey, but I’ve learned that with the right support, mindset, and a bit of resilience, LinkedIn isn’t just another social media platform, it’s a powerful tool for connection, opportunity, and growth.

Mentors & Connections

Transitioning from the military, one thing that never changes is the strength of the bonds you build. I’ve been fortunate to stay connected with many friends from my service days, and one of them, Bob Andrews, has had a huge impact on my career journey.

Bob, a former Band Sergeant Major and now a respected professional in the health and safety industry, had just returned from the Middle East when we reconnected. Not only was he happy to catch up, but he also stepped into the role of mentor with genuine enthusiasm. Bob tapped into his own network and introduced me to a former colleague, Lisa, who now runs an independent recruitment agency in Andover, Active Staff. Coincidentally, one of her clients was MSA Safety.
Lisa connected me with her colleague Bianca, who shared the job description for an open position at MSA Safety. I sent over my CV and was quickly invited to a phone consultation with Bianca. The call went well, and I progressed to an in person interview with Alison, a Director at MSA Safety. The face-to-face with Alison was great. We hit it off and ended up talking for over two hours. She then arranged for me to meet the Managing Director, Matt, for a second interview. That conversation lasted an hour and a half, and I walked away feeling I had truly put my best foot forward.
All I could do now was wait and hope. Just two days later, I received the call I’d been dreaming of: Active Staff Recruitment Agency informed me that I had been successful. I was offered the position! After months of job hunting, deep reflection, and the effort I’d put into studying for my NEBOSH General Certificate, it had all come together. I was thrilled, grateful, and above all, reminded that in life, and especially in career transitions, it’s not just about what you know, but who you know. Result.

Mentors & Connections

Transitioning from the military, one thing that never changes is the strength of the bonds you build. I’ve been fortunate to stay connected with many friends from my service days, and one of them, Bob Andrews, has had a huge impact on my career journey.

Bob, a former Band Sergeant Major and now a respected professional in the health and safety industry, had just returned from the Middle East when we reconnected. Not only was he happy to catch up, but he also stepped into the role of mentor with genuine enthusiasm. Bob tapped into his own network and introduced me to a former colleague, Lisa, who now runs an independent recruitment agency in Andover, Active Staff. Coincidentally, one of her clients was MSA Safety.
Lisa connected me with her colleague Bianca, who shared the job description for an open position at MSA Safety. I sent over my CV and was quickly invited to a phone consultation with Bianca. The call went well, and I progressed to an in person interview with Alison, a Director at MSA Safety. The face-to-face with Alison was great. We hit it off and ended up talking for over two hours. She then arranged for me to meet the Managing Director, Matt, for a second interview. That conversation lasted an hour and a half, and I walked away feeling I had truly put my best foot forward.
All I could do now was wait and hope. Just two days later, I received the call I’d been dreaming of: Active Staff Recruitment Agency informed me that I had been successful. I was offered the position! After months of job hunting, deep reflection, and the effort I’d put into studying for my NEBOSH General Certificate, it had all come together. I was thrilled, grateful, and above all, reminded that in life, and especially in career transitions, it’s not just about what you know, but who you know. Result.

New Chapter Starts

I’m thrilled to be writing this as I begin my journey with MSA Safety, now in my second week as a Health & Safety Advisor, and on my very last day in the army. It’s a big transition, but I couldn’t have landed in a better place. Even in these early days, I’m already getting stuck in, shadowing my colleague Darryl on site visits, learning how things are done, and what I need to be on the lookout for in the field. I’ll be taking my CSCS test shortly, which will officially allow me on-site, and the company is also putting me through the NEBOSH Construction Certificate course to help strengthen my skills even further.
From day one, MSA Safety has been incredibly welcoming. It’s clear this is a place where people are supported, developed, and genuinely looked after. I already feel part of the family. As I move from military life into civilian work, I couldn’t have
asked for a better environment to grow in.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have found MSA Safety, though hopefully, they feel just as lucky to have found me! I’m excited to see where this new path as a civilian Health & Safety Advisor will lead.

Leaving the British Army after years of service was never going to be a small step, it was a leap into the unknown. But with that leap came purpose, pride, and a deep sense of continuity. My move into the field of health and safety wasn’t just a career change; it felt like a natural extension of the values I upheld in uniform: discipline, accountability, and a responsibility for the wellbeing of others.
Now, I get to channel those same principles into creating safer, more sustainable workplaces, and that’s something I’m
incredibly proud of. What’s even more exciting is being part of a growing wave of women stepping into roles across the health and safety and construction industry. Traditionally male-dominated, the sector is evolving, and we’re seeing more women bringing their insight, strength, and leadership to the table. There’s something powerful about joining a profession where
your voice can make a tangible difference, and where the space for female perspectives is expanding every day.

I’m genuinely looking forward to bumping into fellow women across sites, projects, and meetings, learning from their journeys, sharing experiences, and encouraging each other along the way. Every woman I meet in this industry is breaking a little more ground, making it just that bit easier for the next to follow. And for me, that’s not just motivation, it’s mission.