With an Honours Degree in Combined Science Nigel Bryson was appointed as the first National Health and Safety Officer in the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union (BFAWU), in June 1981 - at the age of 24. He was the youngest National Officer in the UK Trade Union Movement at that time. The BFAWU, working with the Health and Safety Executive and employers in the bread baking industry, succeeded in achieving the biggest reduction of accidents in the UK Food Sector over a ten year period.

In March 1992, Nigel became the first Director of the newly created Health and Environment for the general workers union GMB. Nigel provided the strategic direction in health and safety for the GMB. His department —with the ten Regional Health and Safety Officers— provided the information and organisational support to around 25,000 workplace based Safety Representatives.

Nigel was the driving force behind the GMB's Working Well Together initiative. By working jointly with a range of different organisations over a four year period, the GMB demonstrated how huge reductions in lost time injuries could be achieved. This work was influential in convincing the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain to concentrate on worker involvement as a key priority in their new strategy for improving health and safety standards in the future, published in June 2009.

Nigel is now a consultant specialising in worker involvement issues and is considered as one of the foremost authorities on this issue. His achievements with the trade unions have been recognised within the UK:

In March 2000, Nigel was awarded the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accident's (RoSPA) Distinguished Service Award for his 'outstanding contribution to occupational health and safety.' In 2002, Nigel was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his 'services to occupational health and safety' in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. In July 2003 Nigel was accepted at the Fellow Grade in the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Nigel is now a Chartered Fellow of IOSH.