As part of our new blog series ‘Our Route to Renewables’, we sat down with Keith Harrhy to hear how his career in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service led him to the renewables industry and a crucial role within the Red Rock team.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Spiderman, but when I realised that wasn’t going to happen, I had my heart set on being a Firefighter. One of my earliest memories is visiting the Edinburgh headquarters, getting to sit in the fire engine and meet firefighters.
What did you do when you left school?
I’m not sure I had any specific plan when I left school. I went to college to study sports coaching and development, and I was playing rugby for Edinburgh, but an injury put an end to my dreams of progressing further.
I worked as a Sports Development Officer for the City of Edinburgh Council after finishing college for around four years. I really enjoyed it but still had that burning ambition (no pun intended) to be a firefighter. I applied in summer of 2006 and went through the long seven stage recruitment process before successfully joining the service in May 2007.
How did the Fire Service change your life?
As a trainee firefighter I had a thirst for knowledge and just wanted to learn everything I could so I joined the Institute of Fire Engineers and became a qualified fire safety engineer. This sparked an interest in health and safety, and I found the proactive approach to safety planning really interesting. I was passionate about learning more on how to prevent people getting hurt, instead of reacting when something happens.
I decided to study more and sat my NEBOSH exams in H&S, Fire Safety and Construction Safety. I then qualified as a fire extinguisher engineer, legionella risk assessor & electrical In-service Inspection and testing of electrical equipment technician.
I loved being a firefighter and took immense pride in helping people in their time of need. We also got paid to play with cool equipment, ride around in a big shiny red nee naws, and work alongside our pals so it was a win win.
I decided to start my own fire safety and H&S company and left the fire service in 2017. I loved running the business and was fortunate enough to build a client base which covered the length and breadth of the UK, parts of mainland Europe and the West Coast of the USA. Heading up healthy and safety for the Queensferry Crossing opening ceremony and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay torch light procession were some key highlights.
How did you make the move into renewables, and working for Red Rock?
My client base was companies from all different sectors, including oil & gas, nuclear power, and renewables. The company grew and I was provided an opportunity to sell the business in 2020. This came at a good time as my wife and I had a young daughter, and my mum’s health wasn’t great so selling the business also allowed me more time to spend with the people who were dearest to me.
Working as a consultant for renewable companies opened my eyes to the value they bring to society. I have always been a huge advocate for the environment and ensuring we provide a clean and sustainable planet for all future generations, so a move into the sector was something I was extremely keen to pursue.
How easy was it to move into the renewables sector?
My experience in the fire service and owning my own company meant I had valuable transferrable skills that I could use within the renewables sector. Ninety per cent of the qualifications I held transferred across very well as everything in HSE is about risk prevention, regardless of the industry or topic. I think the most beneficial skills came from being a firefighter – remaining calm in a crisis, always striving to find a solution to a problem (there’s always a solution), and being adaptable to different situations and people.
Red Rock has given me the opportunity to improve my skillset and experience, and really grow as an HSE professional. I’ve completed the Global Wind Organisation safety training modules, trained in offshore search and rescue, studied the Wind Turbine Safety Rules, and qualified as a Lead Auditor for ISO 45001 to name a few. I also completed my level 6 NEBOSH diploma and am currently working towards becoming a Chartered Member of IOSH.
What lessons have you brought to your current role?
My 17 years working in health and safety have taught me that you can take positives from every situation no matter how bleak things seem at the time.
The only time we fail is when we give up. I’d like to think that people around me find me motivating and supportive even when times are stressful.
I have also learnt that when people understand the “why” behind the HSE requirements and are involved in decision making, they are far more likely to embrace them and contribute to a safe working culture.
What does your day to day look like? What’s the best part of your role?
No two days at Red Rock are ever the same. I can find myself on a construction site, operational windfarm or our corporate office. The day-to-day tasks vary from the routine reviews of our internal processes and procedures, writing reports, and recording HSE stats, to getting creative and testing our systems to see where things can be improved, and collaborating with contractors to ensure safety standards are being met (or exceeded) at our sites. Regardless of what my daily tasks are, they all contribute to the ultimate objective of making sure everyone gets home to their loved ones just a fit and healthy as they left them.
The best part of my job is seeing our efforts – whether it’s a new process or training etc – come to fruition and the value this brings to the company and our people. I also really enjoy working with people and learning from many different views and approaches. Deliveroo Tuesdays and Thursdays are a firm favourite of mine also!
What would you say to anyone considering a career in renewables?
I would say working in renewables, regardless of your role in the sector, is very rewarding. There’s something for everyone and career opportunities aren’t restricted to people who want to build and repair turbines. There is a place for pretty much every profession – accountancy, procurement, HR, HSE, engineering etc. Reach out to a renewables company local to you to find out what opportunities are available.