One thing to keep in mind.
I got myself a diploma in occ H&S last October and still haven't been able to find work due to the "can't get experience because I need experience" loop.
I have been a H&S rep, helped a manager with improving H&S, did volunteering for a charity to help them improve H&S, but still haven't been able to find work.
Make sure to tell them that it could be hard to find work and they may encounter what I call "application burnout" where they just want to pack it all in and do something else.
If they get to that point, whatever they decide, just give them fair warning.
Hopefully it doesn't happen to them and they walk right into a decent job.

But hopefully not because that would just prove that I am a weirdo or something.

Agreed.
Especially where bullying is common.

Agreed. The people who let these things happen should not be allowed to continue to run business.

I've always thought that the person/people on top of a major organization have so much money that $300k to $400k is a pittance and wouldn't make much difference to them at all. I would agree that percentage fines would be a better deterrent than a bit of pocket money.

Tania and Sarah have good ideas in my opinion.

I haven't yet had much experience with heading an H&S system but I have been a worker for many years. I am also a bit shy and don't like speaking in front of people.

When I do get into my H&S career I hope to adopt a very approachable style. This is because I and other workers throughout my history have either feared their manager or just not respected them at all for various reasons. I have seen managers do unsafe things and then expect different from the people under them. So of course they just wouldn't want to confide in that person.
So I would try and provide an open door policy where those people can come and speak to me without fear or 'rocking the boat' or losing their jobs. A sort of counselling style.

Sarah suggested a mix of different options. This is brilliant. They say there are 4 personality types or something like that. Then those 4 different ways should cater to all. Offer a safe option where workers can put their trust in you and be free of negativity. Workers also often get put off my time constraints and agendas that don't include them either. When I've been told that I only have so much time and can only speak about xyz I just don't want to bother.

I've been in some bad working situations and I wish I had those options.

I can imagine it would be a tough job to be all of this and everything else. But we wouldn't be in (or heading into) H&S careers if we didn't care.

Hope that helps in some way.

Sorry I got excited. Feel free to email me on craigdotnewsonatxtradotcodotnz
Thanks.

Hi all.
I welcome any help at all really.
Thanks Kim. But I'm in Wellington and probably wouldn't be able to get up to Auckland. Happy to chat via email though.
Thanks Sheree. Will email.
Thanks Stuart. I'll email you also. Keen to hear about this position you mention.

Email sent. Thanks heaps.

That is a good idea. But I wouldn't know where to start and who to ask.