From ensuring compliance to building a culture where safety is second nature, Andrew Plummer plays a vital role in helping N+P create a safe and healthy working environment. As Senior Health, Safety, Environment & Quality Manager, he works closely with teams across the organisation to make safety a shared responsibility and an integral part of N+P’s daily operations.
In this Impact Story, Andrew shares his journey into the industry, his passion for continuous improvement, and why fostering a strong safety culture is about much more than just rules, procedures and regulations. He also reflects on the importance of teamwork, leadership, and making sure collectively, we always do the right thing.
Q: Can you introduce yourself and share your role at N+P?
"I’m Andrew Plummer and I’m the Senior Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Manager for N+P."
Q: Did you always see yourself working in this industry?
"Was it a childhood dream to work in waste? No, not really. I studied Environmental Management, and when I came out of university, I got a job as an Environmental Technician. Later, I was asked if I wanted to try Health and Safety Management. The company I worked for at the time sponsored my qualification, and once I completed that, I started my role as a Health, Safety and Environment Manager."
Q: What does safety mean to you?
"My perspective on safety is that it isn’t just about following rules all the time. It’s about behaviours, beliefs, and a collective safety culture. It’s about taking pride in your work, having responsibility for your own safety, and responsibility for your colleagues’ safety as well."
"Safety isn’t just about following rules. it’s about behaviours, beliefs, and looking out for each other."
Q: Why is that approach so important?
"Because that kind of belief is what means we’ll always do the right thing. It’s why we can create and maintain a safe place to work."
Q: What excites you about working at N+P?
"N+P is a really dynamic company to work for. We have operations across the UK and the Netherlands, and we have a really unique product in the Subcoal pellet. That’s exciting in itself. Then there are the ambitions for further growth, acquisitions, and expansion. It’s just a really exciting place to be."
Q: What does your family think you do?
"The kids know that daddy keeps people safe at work. They know I travel to the Netherlands quite a bit as well. I think they take pride in the fact that I work in an industry that can be unsafe and that I’m there trying to keep people safe and always do the right thing."
