Don P

Experienced industrial project, site management and Health & Safety professional with extensive responsibility for complex machinery installations, factory relocations, site operations and contractor management across the UK. NEBOSH qualified, with strong technical knowledge of food-processing and industrial machinery, lifting operations, CDM, RAMS and site infrastructure. Trusted to independently lead customer-site projects, coordinate multidisciplinary teams of up to 30 employees and subcontractors, manage client and contractor relationships, resolve critical operational issues and identify cost-saving solutions.

Combines practical technical expertise with strong leadership, commercial awareness and a proven safety-focused approach.

Site Supervisor / Health & Safety Officer at Orbital Food Machinery (2011-01 – 2026-08-19)

Joined Orbital Food Machinery in 2011 and progressed into senior site supervision, industrial project leadership and Health & Safety responsibility. Led machinery installation, relocation and factory strip-out projects across the UK, frequently acting as Orbital's principal on-site representative and taking independent responsibility for project delivery, workforce coordination, contractors, clients, lifting operations and site safety.

• Managed industrial machinery auction projects of up to approximately 2,000 lots, potentially representing around 5,000 individual items, with auction sales typically around £250,000 and reaching approximately £500,000.
• Reduced external expenditure by thousands of pounds through contractor quotation negotiation, supplier selection and identifying work which could be safely completed by the internal team.
• Delivered complex complete-line installations involving approximately 12-15 interconnected food-processing machines, coordinating labour, lifting equipment, contractors, transport and safe installation.
• Maintained approximately six years without a reported workplace accident during his period of increased Health & Safety responsibility, while introducing additional site controls and safer working practices.
• Led multidisciplinary teams of up to approximately 30 employees and subcontractors, taking independent responsibility for industrial projects and customer sites across the UK.
• Planned and supervised machinery removals, factory strip-outs, relocations and installations, including safe disconnection, lifting, slinging, loading, transport, positioning and reinstallation.
• Worked across food-processing and industrial equipment including complete production lines, packaging equipment, conveyors, blast chillers, spiral freezers, meat and slaughter lines, vegetable-processing equipment, refrigeration-related machinery, transformers and selected agricultural machinery.
• Produced and reviewed risk assessments, RAMS/method statements, toolbox talks, inductions, COSHH controls, permits to work, accident/near-miss documentation and contractor compliance records; carried out site and fire-risk inspections.
• Coordinated work under CDM requirements, including contractor documentation, planning, site safety, access, lifting equipment and safe sequencing of works.
• Managed site infrastructure and maintenance issues including electrical failures, water systems, bore pumps, effluent treatment, fire alarms and shared utilities, sourcing specialist contractors and practical solutions.
• Sourced contractors and suppliers, compared and negotiated quotations, raised purchase orders for approval and advised management on cost-effective options.
• Acted as the primary client-facing contact on many projects, resolving technical and operational issues and ensuring work progressed safely and to deadline.
• Prepared machinery for online industrial auctions, photographing equipment and producing detailed descriptions, specifications and condition information for auctioneers including BidSpotter and private auction companies.
• Advised on machinery valuations and reserve prices for a majority of lots, with final commercial approval retained by company ownership.
• Managed post-sale client service for UK and international buyers, coordinating collections, haulage, loading requirements, site access and transport providers.

Reach Truck Operator at Turners of Soham (2010-11 – 2011-01)

Temporary role operating reach trucks safely in a high-volume cold-store environment, moving and storing stock and supporting warehouse operations.

Dispatch Supervisor at Ichiban, Stowmarket (2009-04 – 2010-11)

Supervised a dispatch team of approximately 10-15 employees, allocating work, organising workloads and ensuring orders were prepared and dispatched efficiently in line with operational and Health & Safety requirements.