WHAT DOES A HEALTH SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT MANAGER DO?

Published: Aug 14, 2025 - The Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Manager develops, implements, and oversees safety management systems to ensure operational efficiency, legal compliance, and the promotion of best practices across all sites. This role involves leading HSE initiatives, conducting inspections and risk assessments, advising on legislation, investigating incidents, and coordinating training programs to maintain high standards in health, safety, and environmental protection. The Manager also collaborates with management, employees, and contractors to address hazards, deliver audit action plans, and foster a culture of continuous safety improvement.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Health Safety and Environment Manager

1. Health Safety and Environment Manager Roles

  • Health & Safety: Maintain essential knowledge of health and safety legislation.
  • Safety Systems: Manage, maintain, and improve company safety systems and procedures.
  • HSE Strategy: Develop site-specific safety strategies and management systems for HSE.
  • Best Practices: Stay up to date with industry best practices and apply continuous improvement principles to advance all HSE areas.
  • HSE Training: Provide HSE training and coaching to employees on good safety practices.
  • Safety Audits: Manage site safety audit requirements to ensure systems are followed correctly.
  • Compliance: Ensure compliance with all relevant consents and permits for the site.
  • Waste Management: Work with the site to minimize waste and manage it most sustainably.
  • Regulatory Liaison: Liaise with neighbors and regulatory agencies regarding nuisance complaints such as noise or odour, if they occur.
  • HSE Data: Maintain HSE statistics and data for the site and report them.
  • Regulatory Contact: Act as the main point of contact for regulatory communications and site visits.
  • Incident Reporting: Accurately determine incident classification and ensure timely reporting.

2. Health Safety and Environment Manager Tasks

  • WHS Management: Develop, implement, and maintain a Work Health Safety Management System and Risk Management framework.
  • Compliance: Ensure ongoing compliance and continuous improvement.
  • Risk Processes: Develop, implement, and train team members on processes and systems to identify, manage, and effectively report risks.
  • Regulatory Standards: Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices in health, safety, and security.
  • Emergency Planning: Contribute to the development and testing of business continuity and emergency response plans.
  • Incident Management: Manage incident and hazard response, investigation, reporting, and workplace inspections in conjunction with operational heads.
  • Safety Culture: Promote a culture that prioritizes employee and resident safety and well-being through role modeling and leadership.
  • HSE Training: Report and provide training regularly regarding health, safety, and environmental compliance and incidents.

3. Health Safety and Environment Manager Details and Accountabilities

  • HSE Oversight: Take responsibility for all HSE activities and initiatives in the local business line supplying public transport.
  • Program Development: Develop and improve the existing HSE program, system, and culture.
  • Business Partnership: Act as a partner to the business and represent HSE in the local management team.
  • Risk Reduction: Support the business in identifying risks and opportunities and implementing systematic risk reduction.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Engage stakeholders to report on, raise awareness of, and gain commitment to HSE efforts and performance by closing the loop and obtaining feedback.
  • Training and Audits: Ensure appropriate training, audits, and practical support for the business.
  • ISO Compliance: Ensure ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 compliance, including third-party certification.
  • Incident Investigation: Investigate HSE incidents, communicate and share learnings, and derive actions.
  • Data Analysis: Provide analysis and learnings from HSE data, monitor progress using key performance indicators, and drive the local HSE Management Review.
  • Expert Ownership: Collaborate within the HSE team and take ownership as an expert for specific topics in the country HSE community.
  • Cross-Functional Cooperation: Cooperate across functions and with business partners to raise HSE awareness, build commitment, and drive performance.

4. Health Safety and Environment Manager Overview

  • HSE System: Design, build, and maintain a professional HSE system on a global scale.
  • Customer Liaison: Liaise with customers to ensure expectations and needs regarding documentation and administrative support for project work and tendering are met.
  • HSE Documentation: Create and maintain documentation for health and safety, quality, and environmental requirements relating to field-based work.
  • Training Coordination: Help teams identify training requirements and implement and coordinate necessary training.
  • Certification Compliance: Ensure engineers and technicians in the field have the appropriate certifications and paperwork to work safely and remain compliant with high-quality standards.
  • Industry Standards: Identify and follow industry standards relating to safe working in harsh environments and advise on best practices.
  • ISO Management: Manage the global ISO certification.
  • Training Gaps: Identify gaps in safety, health, quality, certification, and environmental training, implement them, and manage their completion.

5. Health Safety and Environment Manager Job Description

  • Sustainability Programs: Participate in global sustainability programs and lead local execution initiatives.
  • Environmental Focus: Promote a strong environmental and sustainability focus across the organization.
  • Safety Culture: Enforce a safety culture by implementing group-wide improvement programs and practices locally.
  • Risk Management: Ensure effective risk management across the value chain, engaging diverse stakeholders and ensuring process implementation.
  • Incident Management: Manage incidents and lead investigations with an emphasis on sustainable, proactive corrective actions.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Share feedback on lessons learned and best practices from own unit and other locations.
  • HSE Audits: Lead and participate in internal and external HSE audits.
  • Stakeholder Partnership: Partner with stakeholders to raise awareness, secure commitment, and act as a sparring partner in developing effective HSE solutions.
  • HSE Collaboration: Collaborate closely with the global and local HSE community.

6. Health Safety and Environment Manager Functions

  • Safety and Hygiene: Implement and continuously improve safety and hygiene programs within the plant.
  • Safety Culture: Provide leadership and ongoing support for a behavior-based safety culture aligned with HSE principles.
  • Data Analysis: Analyze HSE data within the area of responsibility and report on progress against sustainability objectives and key performance indicators.
  • Feedback System: Implement and manage a behavior feedback system to drive safety improvements.
  • HSE Audits: Participate in HSE audits, ensuring timely closure of identified gaps.
  • HSE Training: Deliver HSE training to employees, contractors, and visitors, ensuring compliance with legal and organizational requirements.
  • Contractor Systems: Implement and enhance HSE systems for contractors and visitors in the plant.
  • HSE Projects: Lead HSE projects within the plant and coach employees in risk evaluation, problem-solving, and solutions.
  • HSE Certification: Obtain certification in two HSE technologies at the regional level.
  • Compliance Audits: Conduct audits, reviews, risk assessments, and workplace inspections to verify compliance with the HSE management system and local legal standards.
  • Compliance Support: Provide guidance and management support to ensure ongoing compliance with all HSE requirements.

7. Senior Health Safety and Environment Manager Accountabilities

  • HSE Leadership: Work with and lead HSE site managers and subject matter experts to lead improvement initiatives across sites to deliver a 'zero-impact' people and environment culture.
  • HSE Engagement: Promote HSE engagement and behavioral initiatives to win 'hearts and minds'.
  • Standards Consistency: Establish consistency of HSE standards, systems, and best practices across all sites.
  • HSE Reporting: Manage, communicate, improve, and report on HSE at the head office.
  • Team Meetings: Chair the weekly 'HSE Expert Team Meeting' with a focus on legal compliance, auditing, and assessment.
  • Business Representation: Represent the business at group-level HSE meetings.
  • Claims Management: Manage the injury claims register, including working with insurers.
  • Safety Statistics: Report HSE safety statistics and make suggestions for improvements to the leadership team every month.
  • Regulatory Updates: Keep up to date with legal and regulatory changes and industry best practices, and communicate and implement them within the organization.

8. Health Safety and Environment Manager Job Summary

  • HSE Expertise: Provide professional health and safety expertise utilizing the Safety Management System.
  • Safety Culture: Promote a management culture that recognizes the interdependence of environment, health, safety, quality, and production.
  • HSE Leadership: Provide active leadership, direction, and guidance to the HSE project team and the management team.
  • Risk Assessment: Implement the hazard and risk assessment process effectively.
  • Workforce Coaching: Assist site management in leading and coaching the workforce through safety and loss control techniques.
  • Incident Management: Ensure incidents are recognized, investigated, analyzed, and reported in a timely and valuable manner.
  • Performance Analysis: Provide measures of loss and risk management improvement through incident trend analyses, benchmarking, and performance forecasting relative to annual business goals.
  • Regulatory Knowledge: Maintain current knowledge of legislative changes, industry trends, and best practices regarding health, safety, and the environment.
  • Claims Management: Oversee and manage the Return to Work and claims management processes.
  • Team Development: Select, train, develop, and manage the performance of health, safety, and environment personnel.
  • Advisor Coordination: Coordinate health and safety advisors’ activities and ensure duties, responsibilities, and authority are clearly defined.
  • Safety Coaching: Assist, advise, and coach the organization and staff on hazard identification and control, inspections, and investigations.

9. Health Safety and Environment Manager Responsibilities

  • ISO Management: Manage the ISO 45001, ISO 14001, and ISO 9001 management systems.
  • Performance Reporting: Report on the performance of the management system and continuous improvement goals.
  • Board Advisory: Advise the Board of Directors on matters related to quality, health and safety, and environmental issues.
  • Document Management: Prepare and maintain corporate documents and procedures for quality, occupational health and safety, and environmental systems.
  • Procedure Approval: Approve and issue quality, health and safety, and environmental procedures.
  • Audit Support: Support the internal audit programme.
  • Audit Coordination: Coordinate internal scheduling and organization of second- and third-party external audits at company locations.
  • Incident Support: Support incident investigations, recording, and analysis of OHS and environmental corrective actions, non-conformances, near hits, and customer complaints, and develop preventive action plans.
  • Safety Schemes: Control and manage Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSiP) and other health and safety registrations and memberships.
  • Vendor Support: Support vendor prequalification questionnaires.

10. Health Safety and Environment Manager Details

  • HSE Compliance: Oversee all aspects of Health & Safety compliance across the organisation, ensuring adherence to legislation, industry standards, and internal policies.
  • Safety Culture: Collaborate closely with senior leadership and departmental managers to promote a culture of safety, well-being, and continuous improvement for all employees.
  • HSE Reporting: Prepare and submit a comprehensive monthly Health & Safety dashboard, including incident statistics, audit outcomes, training updates, and risk control measures.
  • Risk Assessment: Conduct detailed risk assessments for all operational areas, identifying hazards, evaluating risks, and developing actionable control measures with agreed completion timelines.
  • HSE Audits: Lead and coordinate internal Health & Safety audits, documenting findings, recommending corrective actions, and verifying follow-up completion.
  • Exposure Monitoring: Carry out occupational exposure monitoring, including testing and sampling for noise levels, indoor air quality, and dust control, ensuring results are recorded and reviewed against legal limits.
  • Incident Investigation: Investigate workplace accidents, incidents, and near-misses, determining root causes, preparing investigation reports, and implementing preventative measures.
  • Budget Management: Manage and monitor the Health & Safety budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources for training, equipment, and safety initiatives.
  • Regulatory Liaison: Liaise effectively with external enforcement and regulatory bodies, ensuring timely submission of required documentation and facilitating inspections.

11. Health Safety and Environment Manager Duties

  • Best Practices: Promote best practices concerning health, safety, and environmental issues.
  • Legislation Advice: Interpret and advise on the application of changes to legislation and guidance documents from industry and government bodies.
  • Performance Monitoring: Maintain performance for all health, safety, and environmental initiatives, projects, and statistical reporting at departmental, divisional, and group levels in line with required frequency.
  • Standards Review: Adopt a proactive approach to ensure standards and procedures are reviewed according to the scheduled frequency and implemented consistently across the organisation.
  • Induction Training: Review content and deliver the Safety Value presentation for new starters through the corporate induction programme.
  • Meeting Leadership: Lead the preparation of the agenda, content, and presentations for the Health, Safety, and Environment Management Group bi-monthly meeting, and oversee support for associated documentation, minutes, and board papers.
  • Change Validation: Respond to requests for advice, comments, reviews, and sign-off of Health and Safety Validation of Change processes.
  • Incident Investigation: Conduct, advise, and apply processes for investigating accidents and incidents to determine immediate, underlying, and root causes, and identify control measures to prevent recurrence.
  • HSE Reporting: Prepare and review reports to ensure all advice relating to health, safety, and environmental matters is accurate and consistent, including weekly safety reports, board reports, alerts, notices, tours, messages, communications, and the Health and Safety Policy Statement.
  • Improvement Plans: Lead and oversee the annual Health, Safety, and Environment Improvement Plans (HSEIP) programme for all depots and premises.

12. Health Safety and Environment Manager Additional Details

  • HS&E Strategy: Lead the development and implementation of HS&E strategies and systems to ensure consistent policies, standards, and procedures are in place for all sites that meet legislative requirements.
  • Culture Building: Drive a high-performance culture and shared vision across the HS&E team.
  • Team Coaching: Provide coaching and advice to team members to develop capability and drive consistency of national programs.
  • HS&E Initiatives: Lead the design and delivery of best-practice HS&E initiatives with a focus on building organisational capability to deliver a step change in HS&E performance.
  • Risk Management: Develop and implement a national HS&E risk management system in line with HS&E and risk frameworks, including auditing tools, risk management plans, and processes to reduce HS&E risks.
  • Compliance Processes: Ensure risk management practices and compliance processes are embedded across all environments.
  • HS&E Advice: Provide technical and legal advice on HS&E matters to the Executive Team, managers, health and safety representatives, team members, and leadership teams.
  • Reporting Systems: Develop and implement reporting systems consistent with local and group reporting requirements.
  • Performance Analysis: Assess HS&E performance data, identify trends, and make recommendations to the Executive Team to address gaps and reduce risks.
  • Injury Management: Ensure effective injury management systems are in place at all sites and provide guidance on best practice injury management processes.

13. Health Safety and Environment Manager Essential Functions

  • HSE Standards: Develop HSE standards across the organization’s estate.
  • Safety Culture: Establish and promote a culture of health, safety, and environmental good practice as a primary consideration in all activities.
  • Industry Initiatives: Participate and play an active role in health, safety, and environmental initiatives across the industry to reduce risks and protect colleagues, customers, brand owners, and the public.
  • HSE Support: Provide support, advice, and guidance on all matters relating to HSE issues across all departments.
  • Relationship Building: Forge strong professional working relationships with colleagues, customers, trade bodies, and brand owners to ensure open communication on HSE matters.
  • HSE Training: Promote, coach, and train employees to treat health and safety as a primary consideration in all activities.
  • Risk Guidance: Provide guidance and training on risk assessments, accident prevention, and other health and safety matters, considering the varying risks and occupational hazards of different roles and work environments.
  • Record Keeping: Maintain appropriate HSE records, including risk assessments, accident and incident reports, competency, waste, and work equipment records.
  • Incident Reporting: Lead incident and accident reporting by ensuring all employees, particularly managers, are trained on reporting procedures and their importance.

14. Health Safety and Environment Manager Role Purpose

  • Risk Response: Take an active role in escalated investigations, respond urgently to identified risks, and liaise with key stakeholders to proactively reduce risks.
  • HSE Enquiries: Manage HSE enquiries and be responsible for all formal and statutory responses, implementing practical solutions identified through investigations or assessments.
  • Workplace Inspections: Assist management in conducting HSE workplace inspections.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Interpret and ensure compliance with DSEAR, LOLLER, and COSHH regulations.
  • Safe Systems: Assist in developing Safe Systems of Work practices.
  • Fire Safety: Ensure ongoing fire safety compliance at all sites.
  • Health Support: Support occupational health services and HR in delivering health and wellbeing benefits, first aid coverage, DSE assessments, and managing specific HSE concerns for individuals.
  • HSE Metrics: Analyze, review, and report on HSE key metrics by providing a comprehensive monthly reporting suite to the executive committee.
  • Fleet Impact: Liaise with the fleet department to identify practical ways to reduce the environmental impact of company vehicles.

15. Health Safety and Environment Manager General Responsibilities

  • Impact Analysis: Conduct studies and surveys, and analyze their potential impact.
  • HSE Guidance: Provide specific services, advice, and guidance to managers and employees.
  • Legal Compliance: Ensure compliance with laws, regulations, company programs, policies, and established precedents.
  • Activity Monitoring: Coordinate, conduct, and monitor activities involving operations, facilities, conditions, and job functions.
  • Incident Investigation: Plan, conduct, and facilitate investigations, develop action plans, and prepare reports.
  • HSE Communication: Prepare employee communications on HSE, corporate responsibility, and sustainability issues and topics.
  • HSSE Management: Champion the HSSE Management System and ISO45001 program, including monitoring, performance tracking, and conducting internal audit self-assessments.
  • Health Hazard Assessment: Assess workplaces for occupational health hazards by observing conditions, reviewing records, conducting interviews, and sampling hazardous waste, chemicals, or physical agents.
  • Sampling Strategy: Determine appropriate monitoring and sampling strategies, if indicated, and conduct related activities.
  • Equipment Calibration: Maintain, operate, and calibrate industrial hygiene sampling and monitoring equipment.
  • Certification Management: Manage facility HSE certifications, including permits, licenses, and approvals required by regulatory agencies, including groundwater remediation systems.

16. Health Safety and Environment Manager Key Accountabilities

  • Result Evaluation: Assist and coordinate with the HSE/SA Manager in evaluating and interpreting monitoring and sampling results, making determinations, and developing corrective strategies.
  • Technical Reporting: Assist and coordinate with the HSE/SA Manager in preparing technical reports of survey findings and providing recommendations for correcting hazardous conditions.
  • Technical Guidance: Advise and provide technical guidance to employees regarding HSE CR/SA issues.
  • Performance Tracking: Identify leading and lagging indicators to track HSE/SA performance and maintain and communicate program metrics.
  • Goal Setting: Support the creation of goals for the site.
  • Incident Support: Participate in incident investigations and assist managers in creating corrective and preventative actions.
  • HSSE/SA Training: Assist in the development and delivery of HSSE/SA training.
  • Product Approval: Review safety data sheets for products and approve new products for use in facilities.
  • Workplace Inspections: Conduct daily walk-throughs of work areas to evaluate compliance, communicate with personnel, and promote program visibility.
  • Risk Assessment: Prepare or coordinate the preparation of activity-based risk assessments and annually review current assessments.
  • Assessment Review: Review risk assessments with managers or supervisors to ensure understanding of findings and program requirements.
  • PPE Coordination: Coordinate the personal protective equipment program, ensuring appropriate PPE is always available.

17. Health Safety and Environment Manager Roles and Details

  • Department Management: Manage and coordinate all departmental functions, resources, and strategies, ensuring efficient, accurate, and timely execution.
  • Budget Planning: Contribute to the development of overall divisional plans and develop departmental capital and operating expense budgets, including manpower budgets.
  • Performance Reporting: Report on the overall performance and work progress of the department.
  • Staff Supervision: Supervise staff, ensuring program quality, effective resource use, and compliance with policies and procedures.
  • Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvement by introducing innovation and excellence in business processes aligned to leading practices and organizational excellence frameworks.
  • Customer Transactions: Manage all customer-facing transactions in line with customer strategy to achieve higher satisfaction and timely delivery of services.
  • Customer Support: Ensure customer needs, problems, and requests are recorded and addressed promptly.
  • Customer Experience: Deliver a world-class customer experience.
  • Service Continuity: Support a customer-focused culture by minimizing disruption, keeping customers informed, and ensuring service continuity.
  • HSE Implementation: Manage the implementation of HSE policy, objectives, programs, and initiatives.
  • Environmental Protection: Prevent pollution in departmental activities, protect the environment, and contribute to sustainable development and performance.

18. Health Safety and Environment Manager Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Hazard Communication: Communicate work-related hazards, OH&S changes, unsafe acts, near misses, and other HSE issues.
  • Accident Reduction: Reduce site accidents by ensuring compliance with HSE guidelines and protocols through rigorous follow-up with site crews.
  • Corrective Actions: Drive corrective actions for significant issues from internal and external HSE inspections and visits.
  • Best Practices: Coordinate with other business units to standardize HSE best practices across all sites.
  • HSE Training: Manage the evaluation, development, and implementation of HSE training programs for new and existing employees.
  • Safety Inspections: Organize periodic HSE visits, safety inspections, and compliance checks with legal, regulatory, and subscribed requirements.
  • Incident Analysis: Investigate and analyze HSE incidents, evaluate data, submit reports, and recommend remedial actions to prevent recurrence.
  • Investigation Support: Provide expertise for HSE investigations, develop corrective actions and follow-up mechanisms, and communicate relevant information to management and employees.
  • Health Monitoring: Establish and manage occupational health studies and periodic monitoring as planned.
  • Regulatory Updates: Monitor and incorporate updates to HSE legal, regulatory, and subscribed requirements.

19. Health Safety and Environment Manager Duties and Roles

  • Benchmarking: Conduct benchmarking activities to share lessons learned and best practices.
  • HSE Campaigns: Participate in and organize HSE campaigns to support corporate social responsibility and benefit the community.
  • Policy Compliance: Ensure departmental tasks and staff conduct align with organizational policies and procedures.
  • Collaboration: Promote cross-functional collaboration across business units.
  • Resource Management: Ensure the availability of resources required to fulfill departmental functions.
  • Objective Communication: Communicate strategic objectives at all levels to ensure team awareness and understanding.
  • Culture Promotion: Promote corporate culture and values through personal actions and coaching.
  • Performance Management: Ensure the timely completion of performance management activities in the department.
  • Appraisals: Conduct periodic performance appraisals for direct reports.
  • Staff Training: Ensure staff acquire the required skills and knowledge through appropriate training programs in coordination with the talent management department.
  • Technology Needs: Identify departmental technology needs in coordination with the IT department to ensure efficient and cost-effective processes.

20. Health Safety and Environment Manager Roles and Responsibilities

  • Safety Systems: Develop and implement streamlined safety management systems to enhance operational efficiency and compliance.
  • Legislation Advice: Advise site management teams on health, safety, environment, and compliance-related legislation.
  • HSE Initiatives: Champion HSE initiatives, ensuring adherence to all applicable laws and regulations at all times.
  • Standards Maintenance: Maintain standards in fire prevention, health and safety awareness, site inspections, and environmental protection across all operational areas.
  • Compliance Monitoring: Review, monitor, and address working conditions to ensure compliance with health, safety, and environmental legislation, escalating issues to site management.
  • Incident Reporting: Investigate and report all accidents and incidents, completing required documentation on time.
  • HSE Communication: Establish regular methods of health and safety communication with site management and employees at all levels.
  • Audit Actions: Deliver action plans from HSE audits, delegating tasks to resolve findings and promote best practice.
  • Risk Assessment: Identify and assess risks at all levels, reporting findings to site management and through local health and safety meetings.
  • Process Improvement: Recommend new or revised processes and actions to prevent risks to personnel, facilities, equipment, and goods.
  • Training Programs: Collaborate with HR to create and deliver HSE training programs across the business.
  • Meeting Participation: Participate in local health and safety meetings and provide guidance on legislative issues.
  • HSE Surveys: Conduct occupational HSE-related surveys, such as noise and lighting, and implement associated recommendations.
  • Report Preparation: Prepare management reports.
  • Contractor Review: Review contractor risk assessments and method statements, and issue permits to work.
  • Contractor Approval: Conduct contractor health and safety pre-approval checks as part of the procurement process.
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