Head - Health & Safety - Chemical

Job Purpose:

To ensure seamless implementation of health and safety protocols across all the manufacturing sites with adherence to statutory requirements and a focus on continuous enhancement of overall safety standards.

The role will involve spearheading strategic initiatives, conducting comprehensive risk assessments and fostering a strong culture of safety and responsibility, thereby safeguarding employee well-being while optimizing operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning:

- Define and implement the organization's Health & Safety strategy in alignment with HSE policies.

- Establish acceptable risk thresholds across operations.

- Lead Safety Committee Meetings (SCM) and ensure systematic implementation of recommendations through structured MIS and MOM tracking.

- Drive the development of a strong safety culture across all sites.

- Plan and implement Health & Safety initiatives within approved budgets.

Emergency Preparedness:

- Provide enterprise-level oversight to manufacturing and backwards-integrated operations, ensuring alignment with business strategy.

- Champion operational excellence frameworks (Lean / TPM / Six Sigma) through leadership governance and performance review mechanisms.

- Guide supply chain resilience, vendor development, and inventory optimization strategies.

Risk Assessment & Management:

- Establish robust frameworks for hazard identification and risk assessment.

- Ensure timely completion and closure of risk assessment actions.

- Proactively highlight safety concerns and plant conditions to management.

- Conduct gap analysis against current standards and implement corrective action plans.

Safety Culture & Implementation:

- Ensure strict compliance with PPE usage across all hazardous operations.

- Develop and implement safety protocols for new projects.

- Coordinate with medical/occupational health teams for employee health monitoring.

- Continuously drive initiatives to enhance overall safety standards.

- Maintain and strengthen systems such as work permits, SOPs, and safety policies.

Incident Investigation:

- Promote near-miss reporting and proactive risk identification.

- Lead investigations into incidents, accidents and injuries.

- Identify root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

- Maintain detailed documentation of incident analysis, findings and action plans.

Documentation & Compliance:

- Ensure full compliance with statutory requirements with zero non-compliance penalties.

- Liaise with regulatory authorities including Directorate of Industrial Safety & Health, Factory Inspectorate, Fire Department, and other statutory bodies.

- Maintain and update all regulatory records, registers, and MIS documentation.

- Lead internal and external audits (including ISO and customer audits) and drive continuous improvement.

Process Safety:

- Ensure identification and communication of process-related hazards across functions.

- Collaborate with mechanical and operations teams on MOC (Management of Change) for hazardous processes.

- Implement robust Process Safety Management (PSM) systems aligned with OSHA and Responsible Care standards.

Training & Awareness:

- Design and deliver safety training programs for employees and workers.

- Ensure awareness and adherence to safety protocols across the organization.

- Drive initiatives to create a safe workplace and reduce incidents, including first-aid cases.

Key Skills:

- In-depth understanding of the chemical properties, reactions and potential hazards associated with the substances used.

- Expertise in safety regulations relevant to the chemical industry.

- Proficiency in conducting hazard assessments and risk analyses for chemical processes.

- Knowledge of comprehensive emergency response plan and safety protocols and procedures.

- Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and foster good relations.

- Good communication & presentation skills; ability to liaise with external agencies.

Key Interactions:

- Internal: Leadership team and management, Plant heads and cross-functional teams, Site safety teams.

- External: Government and regulatory authorities, Auditors and certification bodies, Vendors and service providers.

Qualification & Experience:

- B. Chemical / M. Sc. Chemistry with PG Diploma in Industrial Safety.

- 20 - 25 years in the chemical industry, preferably in specialty chemicals or agrochemicals.

- Age: Upto 55 Years.

- Expertise in process safety is a must.

- Hands-on experience for external customer audits from MNC companies and well aware about the system and requirements of the MNCs apart from routine internal and external audits.

- Exposure to managing multi-site responsibility or managing a large site having multiple plants.