Colleague Spotlight
Derek Hillier, Regional Health & Safety Manager
Derek's background
Hi, I’m Derek ‘H’ Hillier. I joined WorkNest in 2023 as a Regional Health & Safety Manager looking after our team of consultants in the Central region.
I have 30 years’ experience in health and safety management across a range of industry sectors. Prior to my role at WorkNest I have worked primarily in housing, construction and manufacturing environments – which are some of my more specialist areas of expertise. At WorkNest I have the opportunity to undertake work across a range of subject areas including fire and food safety in addition to health and safety, which presents an enjoyable challenge in adapting to specific client needs.
As well as supporting my team, I am both a member of the Health & Safety Senior Management Team and I have my own portfolio of clients – predominantly in Wales. I thoroughly enjoy delivering training (ideally in person, though also online) and helping clients with practical solutions to the safety related issues that they may face, as well as assisting them develop their safety management systems to levels of best practice or in preparation for assessment for specific standards e.g. ISO45001.
When I’m not working, I enjoy motorcycling and judo.
Dereks’ qualifications
Chartered Member of IOSH
Fellow of IIRSM and RSPH
Member of IFSM
Who you’ll be working with
Client stories
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Gus Hosein
Executive Director, Privacy International
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WorkNest supports our 280 staff members with Employment Law and Health & Safety and has provided quality management training too.”
Lisa Best
Head of Service Delivery, Catalyst Choice
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We get a great deal of comfort and satisfaction knowing that we have support as and when we need it, in a decisive and responsive way.”
Richard Berry
Group HR Director, Culina Group
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We moved our legal support to WorkNest (formerly Law at Work) having previously used a time and line law firm. It was important, though, that an all-inclusive fee structure did not come at the expense of quality. Thankfully we’ve been delighted with the service we’ve received from WorkNest.”
Chief Executive
Waverley Care
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What we recognised in WorkNest is the background that they have. They are able to supply knowledge and experience in a number of disciplines, which enables us to develop our business in a way that’s safe, to do it on time and with a quality to it.”
Debbie Rainbow
Director of Human Resources and Health & Safety,
Bluestone National Park Resort
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Celia McKeon
Chief Executive, The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT)
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As the company started to get larger, we knew we had to protect our employees and our contractors both onsite and in the offices. WorkNest is exactly what we needed to move the company forward.”
Joanne Beaver
Operations Director, Beaverfit
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Pineapple have worked with the team at WorkNest (formerly Law at Work) since 2003, and we have built a trusted partnership together. We particularly like WorkNest’s concise and practical advice concerning employment law/HR issues and also appreciate their totally supportive approach in all areas of health and safety.”
General Manager
Pineapple Dance Studios
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I’ve taken WorkNest into every organisation that I’ve worked with. I’ve introduced them to many teams and many colleagues and referred them with absolute pleasure because I genuinely trust in the service that we get.”
People Director, The Works
