Safety Head

Role & responsibilities

Roles & Responsibilities

1. Corporate HSE Strategy & Governance

Develop and implement the organization-wide HSE strategy, policies, standards and procedures for all EPC projects.

Establish corporate safety objectives, annual HSE plans and measurable targets.

Ensure uniform HSE standards across all projects, irrespective of location or project size.

Develop and periodically update the Corporate HSE Manual.

Ensure compliance with applicable statutory requirements, client specifications and international HSE standards.

2. Project HSE Oversight

Provide overall HSE leadership and direction to Project Heads, Construction Managers and Project Safety Teams.

Review and approve project-specific HSE plans before project commencement.

Monitor HSE performance of all ongoing EPC projects.

Conduct periodic corporate-level safety audits and site inspections.

Identify high-risk projects/activities and provide focused intervention.

3. Risk Management

Establish a standard methodology for:

HIRA Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment

JSA/JHA Job Safety Analysis

Method Statement review

Permit-to-Work systems

Emergency Risk Assessment

Ensure critical risks such as working at height, lifting, excavation, electrical work, confined spaces, hot work and heavy equipment operations are effectively controlled.

Review critical activity risk assessments and ensure appropriate control measures.

4. Safety Performance & KPI Monitoring

Track and review corporate HSE KPIs such as:

LTIFR Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate

TRIR/Total Recordable Incident Rate

Fatalities and serious incidents

Near-miss reporting

Unsafe acts/conditions

Safety observations

First-aid cases

Lost workdays

Training hours

Audit compliance

Corrective-action closure percentage

Prepare monthly and quarterly HSE dashboards for senior management.

5. Incident & Accident Management

Establish corporate procedures for incident reporting and investigation.

Lead investigations of fatalities, major accidents, high-potential incidents and serious near misses.

Conduct root-cause analysis using appropriate methodologies.

Ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented and closed within defined timelines.

Share lessons learned across all EPC projects to prevent recurrence.

6. Safety Audits & Compliance

Prepare an annual corporate HSE audit plan.

Conduct:

Corporate audits

Project audits

Contractor audits

Thematic audits

Emergency preparedness audits

Ensure timely closure of audit observations.

Monitor compliance with statutory registers, licenses, inspections and safety documentation.

7. Contractor & Subcontractor Safety

Establish HSE prequalification criteria for contractors and subcontractors.

Evaluate contractor safety performance before awarding work.

Ensure contractor HSE plans, manpower and competency requirements are adequate.

Monitor contractor compliance through audits and inspections.

Take action against repeated safety violations.

8. Training & Competency Development

Develop a corporate HSE training matrix.

Standardize induction and safety training across projects.

Ensure competency-based training for high-risk activities.

Organize training for:

Working at height

Lifting & rigging

Electrical safety

Confined space

Fire safety

Excavation safety

Emergency response

First aid

Defensive driving

PPE

Permit-to-work systems

Conduct safety leadership training for Project Heads and senior management.

9. Emergency Preparedness

Establish corporate emergency response standards.

Ensure every EPC project has an effective Emergency Response Plan (ERP).

Review mock-drill performance.

Ensure preparedness for fire, medical emergencies, structural collapse, chemical spills, electrical accidents and other project-specific emergencies.

10. Safety Culture & Leadership

Drive a Zero Harm / Zero Fatality culture throughout the organization.

Promote visible safety leadership by senior management.

Introduce safety campaigns, toolbox talks, safety weeks and recognition programs.

Encourage employees to report hazards and near misses without fear.

Develop a proactive rather than reactive safety culture.

11. Legal & Statutory Compliance

Ensure compliance with applicable Indian legislation and requirements, including relevant provisions under:

Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions framework

Building and Other Construction Workers requirements, where applicable

Factories legislation, where applicable

Electrical safety requirements

Environmental requirements

Fire safety requirements

Labour and welfare requirements

Applicable state-specific rules and authorities

12. Client & External Coordination

Act as the corporate HSE representative for major clients.

Participate in client HSE reviews and management meetings.

Handle major HSE escalations.

Support project teams during client and regulatory inspections.

Coordinate with consultants, auditors, government authorities and certification bodies when required.

13. ISO & Management Systems

Drive implementation and continual improvement of ISO 45001 and related management systems.

Integrate HSE requirements into the company's overall Integrated Management System (IMS).

Coordinate external certification and surveillance audits.

Ensure corrective actions from certification audits are closed.

14. HSE Budget & Resources

Prepare the corporate HSE budget.

Ensure adequate deployment of qualified safety professionals across projects.

Define minimum HSE manpower requirements based on project risk, workforce and contract requirements.

Ensure adequate availability of PPE, safety equipment, emergency equipment and monitoring resources.

Preferred candidate profile

Education

Bachelors degree/Diploma in Engineering, preferably Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Environmental Engineering.

NEBOSH / IOSH / PG Diploma in Industrial Safety or equivalent safety qualification preferred.

ISO 45001 Lead Auditor certification is an advantage.

Experience

15–20+ years of overall HSE/Safety experience, preferably in EPC, infrastructure, construction, water, roads, power, industrial or similar projects.

Minimum 5–8 years in a senior/corporate HSE leadership position managing safety across multiple projects.

Proven experience handling large EPC projects and geographically dispersed project sites.

Experience managing and mentoring large HSE teams.

Technical Competencies

Strong knowledge of HIRA, JSA/JHA, PTW, LOTO, lifting safety, work-at-height, excavation, confined space, electrical and fire safety.

Strong understanding of incident investigation, RCA, emergency response and crisis management.

Experience with ISO 45001/IMS, safety audits and statutory compliance.

Strong knowledge of contractor/subcontractor safety management.

Ability to develop corporate HSE policies, procedures, manuals and standards.

Experience in developing and monitoring HSE KPIs and dashboards.

Leadership Competencies

Strong leadership and decision-making skills.

Ability to influence Project Heads, Construction Heads and senior management.

Strong communication, presentation and stakeholder-management skills.

Willingness to travel extensively to project sites.