Former Royal Marine leads a health revolution at Torbay Pharma

Rob Waters, a former Royal Marine turned health and safety specialist, is on a mission to redefine how safety and wellbeing are approached at Torbay Pharmaceuticals. Drawing on experiences from Afghanistan to Arctic warfare, and later tackling crises like COVID-19 within the NHS, Rob brings a unique perspective to creating a culture of safety—one that prioritises not just avoiding risks but fostering physical and mental health for employees at every level.

It all started at 18 when Rob joined the Royal Marines straight from school. He spent the next four years in training and later deployment on tours of Afghanistan and working on artic warfare strategies in Norway among other things.

Rob explains: “Being in the Marines gives you experience many people don’t have. It’s a very formative period which shaped me as a person and gave me so much opportunity to learn. But the eight years I spent at Richfords, in a role restoring properties after fire and floods shaped what followed.”

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After completing his NEBOSH and NEBOSH Diploma, a degree-level qualification, that’s where Rob’s health and safety specialism kicked in. Seeing first-hand what happens if the health and safety aren’t prioritised drove him to build a career to make a change.

Then, in 2019, Rob joined Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, where he would find himself navigating the health and safety requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic

“On top of the regular, day-to-day health and safety requirements in the NHS, we had to contend with the impact of coronavirus > COVID. Adapting to a new way of living and working and overcoming its prolonged challenges, was unchartered territory for all of us. But it drove an immediate and laser-sharp focus on health and safety.”

In 2021 Rob joined Torbay Pharmaceuticals as its Health and Safety Specialist.

“I’ve always had the mindset that my job is to make myself redundant, in that you don’t need me here to tell you what to do, it’s embedded into the culture of the business – I’ve done my job! I think there’s a stigma around health and safety… it does get a bad rap. So part of my job is to bring the issues to life and to consistently bring it to the top of the agenda.

“At Torbay Pharma, we are working in a sterile environment, producing essential medicines which save lives. Health and Safety is intrinsic to every step of the process, protecting our team and users of our products.

“We’ve got people at every level at Torbay Pharma talking about these issues from a perspective of continuous improvement… and this is just how it should be. It’s not just a function that sits with me.

Rob’s proactive approach towards health and safety has led him to an Apprenticeship Degree in Fire Engineering, which he is currently studying for. But it is the health side of things that Rob is particularly passionate about.

Having recently completed the Ironman Wales – a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride followed by a marathon – and being a former Marine, health and fitness is an important part of Rob’s life.

Rob adds; “When we talk about health and safety, we tend to focus more on the safety. But physical health needs to have the same focus for our people,”

He continues; “I’m not saying you must do an Ironman , to be productive at work. But simple things like just keeping hydrated are huge. We load up on caffeine at work and you could go the whole day not drinking any water. Your brain is 75% water, and dehydration sets in fast, and it massively affects memory and attention.”

“I put the same focus on mental health too, as physical and mental health can directly impact one and other. Stress in the workplace can be a major issue, affecting the quality of work and quality of life.

“All too often, we focus on our mental health when its ‘too late.’ You can’t wait until you’re at a crisis point before working on your mental health. Working on these kinds of things on a daily basis is the best approach… this is where something like regular exercise can offer huge benefits.”

“Ultimately, health and safety isn’t just about me telling you how best to lift a box, it’s about putting processes in place to ensure the people around you are happy, healthy and productive.”