The HSE manager is nothing but a health, safety and environmental manager. The HSE manager responsibilities comprise taking care of health and safety of the employees and ensuring that the working environment is safe and secure for all the employees working within an organization. Besides these, he/she implements policies, resolves issues, and consistently works towards minimizing the risk of accidents or any other injuries that may occur within the organization.
Key Responsibilities of an HSE Manger
The HSE manager is responsible for handling a variety of tasks like coordinating, designing, implementing, and communicating the safety, health, and environmental programs for the organization. He/she is well equipped with knowledge on federal and local safety regulations and is responsible for conveying it to the employees. He/she often works in coordination with the medical staff personnel and maintains all the relevant documentation whenever any accidents or mishaps occur. To get a better and more clear idea, here is a detailed description of the key responsibilities that need to be carried out by an HSE manager:
In addition to these duties, he/she is responsible for carrying out safety audits and creating an awareness in the employees in relation to the safety obligations. He/she is responsible for ensuring that the comments and safety complaints are being documented and that a strict disciplinary action has been enforced in case there is any violation by a staff member and reporting it to the higher authority. In short, he/she supervises the subordinate staff members to ensure that they adhere by the HSE regulations and are responsible for directing, coordinating, and evaluating the employees.
Essential Skills
The HSE manager should have excellent communication skills and should be good in writing skills as well, as he/she needs to document the relevant details and create related reports. He/she should have good analytical skills with good leadership quality. Excellent time management and organization skills along with good training skills will also prove to be helpful. He/she should have a vision to make new changes that will affect the organization in a positive way.
Educational Background
To be able to carry out the assigned responsibilities effectively, an individual must have a proper educational background, wherein he/she will be able to gain knowledge of health and safety regulations. This can be done by acquiring a bachelor's degree in Safety Engineering, environmental science, public or environmental health, etc. Additional certification or license related to OSHA would prove to be a plus. Computer proficiency will be an added advantage.
Work Schedule
The HSE manager normally works full time and requires him/her to work for eight to nine hours a day, Monday through Friday. Occasional traveling may be required. Sometimes, he/she may need to work beyond the normal routine hours.
Salary Details
The normal starting range of salary for individuals with little or no experience is in the range of $103,000 to $105,000. However, the individuals who have strong educational background combined with experience definitely get a better salary package varying in the range of $177,000 to $193,000. It may also differ depending on the geographical location, type, and size of the organization. The other key factors which determine the salary are education, experience, and skills of an individual.
Career Prospects
Nearly half of the HSE managers are employed in private sectors, while the remaining are employed in federal, state, and local government. The growth opportunities are definitely going to be more and are expected to rise by about thirteen to fifteen percent. A strong academic background and experience will help in advancing your career faster.
Thus, effective implementation of HSE manager responsibilities will ensure that the health and safety of the employees is maintained and assists in reducing the cost and additionally helps in improvising the operational efficiency.