WHAT DOES A HEALTH AND SAFETY DO?

Published: Jun 13, 2025 - The Health and Safety Professional ensures the protection of employee well-being by preventing workplace accidents and illnesses. This role involves identifying hazards, assessing risks, and implementing control measures in alignment with legal and organizational standards. The individual promotes a safe work environment and contributes to improved operational efficiency through proactive safety management.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Health and Safety

1. Health and Safety Advisor Duties

  • EHS Management: Plan, organize, direct, control and coordinate the development and implementation of the environment, health and safety management system in compliance with applicable legislations, International standards and customers’ codes of practice throughout the group’s Asia businesses
  • Strategy Development: Develop, implement and monitor EHS strategies, policies and programmes that promote sustainable development
  • Coordinator Training: Identify and train local EHS coordinators
  • Standards Monitoring: Establish, manage and monitor standards, processes, communications, risk assessments, management systems and delivery of all EHS activities effectively and efficiently
  • Stakeholder Liaison: Liaise with regulatory bodies / internal / external business customers
  • Performance Tracking: Ensure all key performance measures and objectives are achieved regarding Environment, Health and Safety
  • Legal Compliance: Ensure compliance with all legislation including by-laws
  • Employee Education: Educate and ensure employees' compliance with EHS procedures and regulations
  • Reporting Preparation: Develop monthly regional EHS reports and share with the regional EHS team and management
  • Workplace Safety Promotion: Encourage and promote the use of safer work equipment, materials and supplies
  • Incident Investigation: Ensure all incidents are investigated, reported and action plans closed out within the agreed time frame
  • Industry Research: Keep abreast of industry and market trends and best practices
  • Policy Updating: Update procedures and policies for new regulations or local ordinances

2. Senior Health and Safety Advisor Details

  • Strategic Support: Supports the Director, CPG Health and Safety in developing business planning strategy
  • Plan Alignment: Ensures divisional and department plans/project plans are aligned with the Metrolinx strategic and business plans
  • Project Implementation: Identifies, develops and implements plans and projects for the Construction Health and Safety team to meet divisional and corporate objectives
  • Communication Strategy: Develops and implements communication strategies and materials that support key initiatives and convey program changes to all stakeholders, including presentation materials that support the divisional engagement strategy
  • Project Management: Manages special projects, team projects and vendors through all project phases
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Supports and fosters dialogue and intergovernmental engagement with key external stakeholders
  • Program Promotion: Promotes initiatives and programs to stakeholders to gain support for their implementation and rollout
  • Reporting Preparation: Prepares reports and briefing materials
  • Presentation Delivery: Presents findings/recommendations/plans for management, executive committees, safety committees, the Metrolinx Board and external agencies to address related issues and initiatives
  • Committee Representation: Chairs and/or represents the business unit and its interests on internal and external committees and task forces
  • Policy Coordination: Identifies linkages to share policy and planning information and develop policy recommendations
  • Data Collection: Identifies data requirements using best practices for research and analysis
  • Performance Monitoring: Develops performance reporting to monitor progress and initiates action to close operational gaps
  • Data Analysis: Analyzes data from internal and external sources, prepares documents to summarize findings, and provides recommendations

3. Health and Safety Advisor Responsibilities

  • Safety Culture Promotion: Actively promote and support the establishment of a safety culture that focuses on influencing behaviour across all business units
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensure that all locations and banners comply with the various regulations and legislation concerning health and safety
  • Program Implementation: Support the implementation of health and safety programs and policies by influencing and collaborating with management teams
  • Project Contribution: Actively contribute to projects by the Health and Safety team
  • Industry Awareness: Take part in activities to keep up to date in the field and apply business intelligence
  • Training Delivery: Ensure the delivery of H&S training and education
  • Committee Participation: Participate in and support Joint Health and Safety Committee activities
  • Site Review: Conduct site reviews to ensure compliance with Health and Safety requirements in partnership with the DAPSM
  • Accident Monitoring: Monitor work accidents to identify the identification of root cause and prevention
  • Claims Collaboration: Partner with the claims team to ensure there is follow-up to any work-related injuries and the prevention of future occurrences
  • Exemption Tracking: Track exemptions issued by business and regulatory authorities

4. Health and Safety Manager Job Summary

  • Policy Formulation: Formulate policies and procedures
  • Procedure Implementation: Implement health and safety procedures and ensure that these comply with the law
  • Employee Training: Train all employees on health and safety procedures
  • Risk Education: Give proper training on the particular risks in their area of work, and how they can prevent these
  • Safety Inspection: Conduct frequent safety inspections and checks
  • PPE Awareness: Understand the importance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • PPE Promotion: Make all employees aware of the benefits of PPE and ensure that they receive adequate PPE
  • PPE Inspection: Check PPE for wear and tear
  • Accident Reporting Procedure: Develop a correct procedure for reporting accidents
  • Reporting Awareness: Make all employees aware of the correct reporting procedure and ensure that they know how to properly report accidents
  • Complaint Response: Respond to any safety complaints and concerns raised by employees
  • Danger Mitigation: Investigate their claims and put plans in place to remove the danger
  • First Aid Management: Take responsibility for first aid procedures, including employee first aid training
  • Emergency Management: Manage emergency procedures such as rider strike/gatherings, physical assault on a rider, etc.

5. Health and Safety Advisor Accountabilities

  • Policy Development: Corporate policy development and the testing of new initiatives
  • Technical Support: Dealing with a wide range of legal and operational issues, including providing technical guidance and reactive support
  • Culture Development: Developing and maintaining a positive safety culture across all operational areas
  • Procedure Review: Ensuring that risk assessments and internal procedures remain current, effective and achievable
  • Meeting Participation: Actively participating in meetings to bring a safety perspective and understanding to the business
  • Compliance Improvement: Proactively improving compliance and standards at stores, Regional Distribution Centres, Head Office, and construction sites
  • Report Production: Producing, evaluating, and issuing various analyses and performance reports
  • Accident Investigation: Incident and accident investigation
  • Site Inspection: Conducting site visits, inspections, and audits across sites to ensure the necessary levels of understanding and compliance are in place
  • Campaign Development: Developing and delivering safety promotional campaigns and initiatives
  • Authority Liaison: Representing and supporting the Company during local authority investigations, enforcement and engagement
  • Industry Engagement: Attending industry forums to keep abreast of best practice and legislation

6. Health and Safety Consultant Functions

  • Document Review: Conducting document review and research
  • Regulatory Advisory: Conducting reviews and providing regulatory advisory services
  • Site Audit: Conducting a site visit and/or field audit
  • Client Meeting: Meeting with the client and parties
  • Report Writing: Writing parts or the whole report
  • System Support: Supporting the development of EHS and social management system manual, procedures, and management plans
  • Regulation Update: Keep up to date with EHS regulations in Vietnam and international standards
  • Proposal Preparation: Assist the team in preparing partially or the whole (with reasonable scope) proposals
  • Project Assistance: Assist the team in project management (e.g., project setup, management of budget, timeline, etc.)

7. Health and Safety Manager Job Description

  • Compliance Management: Manage all aspects of Health and Safety, Environmental and Quality compliance
  • System Monitoring: Monitor and analyse internal management systems
  • Policy Development: Develop and support the delivery of SHEQ policies and processes
  • Team Collaboration: Working closely with the Operational management team to ensure a healthy and safe working environment
  • Incident Investigation: Conduct accident and near-miss investigations
  • Process Implementation: Develop and implement policy and processes
  • Client Liaison: Regularly liaise with clients and corporate bodies to build partnerships
  • Supply Management: Manage the supply chain and budgets
  • Project Management: Consistently managing major installation projects

8. Health and Safety Officer Details and Accountabilities

  • Documentation Implementation: Define and implement H&S documentation, processes, and management structure
  • Project Support: Deliver and support projects from installation through service and maintenance for the lifetime of the plant, to include RAMS, Emergency Response Plans, Site Safety Plans, COSHH, LOTO, first aid needs assessments
  • Contractor Management: Develop and manage internal and Supplier H&S to meet CDM regulations, including as a principal contractor
  • Regulation Compliance: Ensure site safety regulations compliance and the continuous improvement of H&S procedures
  • Audit and Training: Deliver H&S auditing and training
  • Certification Management: Manage training and certification records, and ensure certification does not lapse
  • Risk Monitoring: Monitor the project risk profile including prioritised control strategies and legislative compliance, in consultation with stakeholders
  • Risk Identification: Identify projects which present a significant health, safety and environment (HSE) risk early, and assist the Installation Manager and Project Manager to deliver jobs effectively and safely
  • Client Collaboration: Collaborate with clients on project HSE requirements and be accountable for delivering to their expectations
  • Customer Relationship: Maintain good relationships with the technical and managerial staff at all customer sites
  • Process Alignment: Work with the internal QHSE team and other departments to align processes and H&S documentation
  • Status Communication: Establish and deliver status and progress communications to internal and external stakeholders

9. Health and Safety Specialist Overview

  • Floor Engagement: Engage actively and daily with manufacturing floor operations with a focus on hazard recognition, safety observations and coaching
  • Regulatory Alignment: Assist in work to ensure operations align with all applicable federal, state and local regulations
  • Injury Oversight: Support all aspects of injury oversight including reporting, investigation, identification of corrective and preventative actions and publication of safety alerts
  • Program Implementation: Support the comprehensive implementation of AirMI EHS programs, as directed by AirMI EHS leadership
  • Training Support: Assist in the development and delivery of general and equipment-specific training for hourly, supervisory, and management team members
  • Root Cause Support: Provide support in conducting root cause, risk assessments and JHAs
  • Audit Assistance: Support internal and external inspections and audits, managing all documentation associated with the processes
  • Reporting Assistance: Assist in producing reports and analysis and key performance indicators as directed by site leadership and the EHS manager
  • Document Management: Maintain all site documents through the site record management system
  • Culture Implementation: Implement the defined elements of Safety Culture as defined by the EHS Manager
  • Relationship Building: Develop strong relationships with hourly personnel and supervisory management
  • Compliance Support: Provide technical and regulatory compliance expertise and support
  • Problem Solving: Identify and solve a range of problems in straightforward situations
  • Solution Analysis: Analyze possible solutions and assess each using standard procedures
  • Customer Response: Respond to non-standard requests from internal and/or external customers
  • Investigation Support: Investigate with assistance from others
  • Budget Awareness: Understands and manages work to the site EHS budget, while looking for ways to get more value or be more efficient with expenses
Relevant Information
What Does A Health and Safety Advisor Do?
What Does A Health and Safety Specialist Do?