Meet radiation protection consultant Geeske Rustenburg
We are delighted to welcome wide-ranged health and safety consultant Geeske Rustenburg to our team. Geeske will work as a senior consultant within the Environment, Health and Safety area of expertise at Philips Engineering Solutions. She shares our passion for protecting people at work. In this interview, Geeske tells us more about this passion and outlines her aims working for Philips Engineering Solutions.
What inspired you to choose a career in health and safety?
“Advising organizations about working safely and contributing to the health of the employees in the future, gives me great satisfaction. In doing so, working with people is invaluable.
During my studies, Biomedical Health Sciences, I found out that working with people and helping them with their health appealed to me the most. Therefore, I opted for the specialization of Labor, Environment and Health and in particular the field of occupational hygiene. This gave me the opportunity to advice on healthy working conditions.”
Where have you worked prior to joining Philips Engineering Solutions?
“As a graduated occupational hygienist, I started working at the National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM, the Netherlands). I also started a higher safety education course, and I became a safety expert as well. I have gained experience with various issues, including risk assessment and evaluation, ergonomics, (near) occupational accidents and hazardous substances. I really liked to support the institute and its employees in safe and healthy working conditions.
After following a course to become a Radiation Protection Expert, in my next position I was responsible for the nuclear energy law permit. In this role, I gained experience with the internal radiation protection regulations, internal permissions, risk analyzes, internal audits and inspections and the annual radiation protection report. To me it was a pleasure to work on improving the system and working together on creative solutions.”
How would you describe yourself as a health and safety consultant?
“When I explain to my children about my profession, I say that a consultant answers questions. I am a good listener and I think one of the most important aspects in consultancy is that the final product actually meets the needs of the customer. It gives me great satisfaction if the customer can actually do something with my advice and experiences help in achieving his aims.
An unsafe or non-compliant situation motivates me to come up with the best solution. Of course to ensure improvement in safety and compliance with laws and regulations, but also feasible and supported by the customer. And most importantly, by the people in the organization.”
Last question: which challenges do you like to tackle?
“This year the European Basis Safety Standards were implemented in the law and regulations for radiation protection. That caused changes in the permit and registration system. For our team there is a great opportunity to support customers to be compliant with those new rules.
I look forward to work with my fellow professionals at Philips Engineering Solutions for even more safe and healthy working conditions and achievable compliancy with regulations.”
If you need support in the field of radiation protection or health and safety, please feel free to contact Geeske directly.
Geeske Rustenburg
Radiation Protection Consultant
Philips Engineering Solutions
Read more about our Radiation Protection Consultancy, one of our services from the Environment, Health & Safety key area of expertise.