Monthly Meets - Meet John | Guernsey Electricity

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Monthly Meets - Meet John

Our dynamic work environment spans from our offices, to the heart of the power station, and all across the island. Health and Safety Lead, John Tostevin gives an insight into this varied role and the world of health and safety at Guernsey Electricity.

Take a peak into the secretly interesting world of Health and Safety with our Health and Safety Lead here at Guernsey Electricity, John Tostevin. 

What is your role at Guernsey Electricity?

I’m the Health and Safety Lead for Guernsey Electricity and have been working here for just over 8 years. I’m proud to be a part of such a diverse and varied team and feel that the work I do has a positive impact on the people around me. 

How does your role impact everyday lives?

At the end of the day, we all want to get home safely.

Guernsey Electricity is a very unique industry on-island as we have people working in high-stake environments every single day, such as with high voltage electrical systems, enormous machinery, or dangerous substances.  

I’m here to make sure our varied work environments are safe for everyone to work in. No two days are ever the same thanks to the sheer variety of roles and working environments!

For example, as everyday could bring with it a risk of somebody getting injured, I’m here to make sure all working environments are safe and all employees have the necessary training and safety instructions to keep our island functioning.  

What other industries have you worked in?

Helping people has always been a key part of my career

For 29 years I worked in the local blue light service as a policeman. But the aftereffects of such an intense job had long-term impacts on my mental health. This meant moving from blue lights to keeping lights on needed work on adapting back into “normal life”, which has been a particularly long journey for me.

What does a typical day (or week) look like for you?

One moment I can be at my desk, another in the power station – and another attending a safety measure out in the roads of Torteval.

I particularly enjoy this - how everyday is different, and you never know what to expect.

Assuming I haven’t had a phone call already, I usually start with checking in on what’s happened overnight. Then the day job can really begin, which might involve checking reports, emails and taking other calls.

But this job also means I need to be ready in case I’m called out to do a site inspection, address a safety concern somebody’s raised, or make sure people are working as safely as possible.  It’s definitely a job that keeps the step count high!

What is “Man Club” Guernsey’? And what support does it offer to men across the island?

Man Club is designed to be a safe space where men from all walks of life can talk openly about how they’re feeling, creating a place to share what they’re struggling with.

Roughly a year or so into my treatment for PTSD, I joined Man Club, which really helped me manage my symptoms. The club is a secure space where men from any work type, background, or nationality can talk to other group members about how they feel and how they too might have dealt with hard experiences, validating the important feelings everybody has.

Something as simple as this has a profound positive effect on those who attend. It offers men the chance to feel wanted, listened to, and understand that the old saying “it’s good to talk” is very true.

What is your proudest achievement so far?

My mental health troubles after I left the police meant I was unable to deal with any serious incidents in the way I was trained to.

Then one day in London, I was with my son and a distressed mother was running towards me holding her lifeless child.

I switched back into my old work mindset and in that moment, my only concern was to make sure the child was ok. Luckily an off-duty nurse was there to help too, and together we helped the child regain consciousness and breathe again. We then could take care of the child and his mother until paramedics arrived.

This experience was both a major hurdle and my proudest achievement – and the the first time my son had seen me in “work mode”!

What was your dream job growing up? Or what did you want to do when you grew up?

I used to watch “CHIPS” on television about the California Highway Patrol and thought I could do that job, and look cool riding a police bike.  It was something I did for 20 years as a career, but not in the sun of California - or looking as cool as they did. 

What is the most unusual thing about your job and how would you describe it to someone who knows nothing about it?

That Health and Safety is surprisingly exciting and interesting, and not actually the dull job people think it is.

Some might say I went from being the actual police to the fun police, as H&S is famously known for saying no and stopping things from happening. But in my job, that isn’t always the case – although when someone’s health and safety could be at risk, no does mean no.

I need to allow things to happen, but it’s up to me to make sure the relevant mitigations and precautions are in place to deal with potential risks.

In your role as a Mental Health First Aider  at Guernsey Electricity, how do you provide colleagues with support? 

GEL has a very good attitude toward making sure their employees can seek help if needed, and give people time to offer this support to others too.

Fellow employees come and approach me if they need to discuss ongoing problems, or just to have a chat to get things off their chest. Sometimes, you can see someone is struggling, and our work culture allows me to take the time to ask if they’re ok.

You can’t force anyone to speak about what they’re dealing with, and from experience I know that you need to feel ready to accept help. But knowing that others care and are willing to check in on you is invaluable and can make someone’s day that little bit better.

I’m happy to say that I’ve been able to help some people get the right support over the years who are now having a better life.

If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

I’d always planned to join the ambulance service as a paramedic once I had finished in the police. I was always impressed with the work they do on the scene and the lifesaving ability these good people have. My PTSD means I can no longer do this, but it would have been my go-to job if things had worked out.

Can you highlight a male role model who has had a significant impact on your life?

I was lucky to have met up with Guy Martin while working at the TT in Isle of Man.

We sat in a bar having a good chat about man stuff when he told me he was involved in a serious accident. When he thought he was going to die, the last thing that went through his mind was “what will be will be”, then he lost consciousness and later woke up in hospital. 

This is a saying I now live by; not to look back, only forward. You cannot change history, but you can impact the future.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Learn to have some you time. And that it’s ok to feel down and say no.

You need a good set of friends - it’s not about the number, but the people that really care and look after each other.

You also need healthy boundaries, and make sure you stick to them - you simply cannot please everybody.

How can we encourage more open conversations about men’s physical and mental health?

The phrase “man up” is used too often and has very negative connotations and effects. I think the ‘Get Britain Talking’ is a great initiative and believe more businesses should take this on as your employees are your most important asset.

Good health is both about physical and mental health, and employers and employees should take the time out to access both.

We need to keep getting the message out there and encouraging men to talk to each other about difficult situations, experiences, or just have a chat. It’s not just about the football or rugby - discuss the real stuff that effects your life and how you live it.

Last month we met Investment Planning and Design Engineer, Kumbuso Nyoni. Read Kumbuso's interview here.