WHAT DOES AN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVISOR DO?

Published: Dec 30, 2024 - The Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Advisor leads and manages key EHS programs such as DSE, Driver Safety, and Traveller Safety, providing advisory services and regular reports to the Site Management Committee. Responsibilities include maintaining an EHS risk register, overseeing EHS documentation, and ensuring effective EHS training and assessments for staff, contractors, and visitors. Additionally, the EHS Advisor manages the fleet services contract, monitors fleet utilization, and coordinates fleet projects, including the electric/hybrid scheme.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Environmental Health and Safety Advisor

1. EHS Advisor Duties

  • Safety Culture Development: Create and inspire a culture where employees at all levels take ownership for safety.
  • Onboarding and Training: Help establish this culture from the onboarding process, continued employee training, and other HR measures from rewards to discipline.
  • Employee Engagement: Engage employees in safety initiatives to eliminate or control safety hazards and reduce risk of injury or exposure.
  • EHS Program Development: Develop EHS programs such as hazardous energy control, confined space entry, fall protection, forklifts, and others, including the creation and implementation of training curriculum and processes to maintain the appropriate documentation per regulatory requirements and company policy.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Maintain OSHA 300 log and other required regulatory documents.
  • Safety Specification Review: Review specifications and plans of new operations, layouts, materials, chemicals, machinery, new construction, and demolition to ensure appropriate safety and industrial hygiene standards are applied.
  • EHS and Sustainability Programs: Establish EHS and Sustainability programs and processes that are safe, environmentally sensitive, and meet regulatory compliance requirements.
  • EHS Management System Implementation: Implement aspects of an EHS management system including local regulatory requirements applicable to the site(s).
  • Regulatory Agency Interface: Interface with regulatory agencies on EHS matters and participate in EHS audits as appropriate.
  • EHS Committee Management: Establish and ensure a site EHS committee runs smoothly, effectively, and regularly to improve emergency response, waste management, safety, health, and sustainability.
  • Risk Management: Prioritize and manage site risk through risk assessment and Job Hazard Analysis.
  • Action Item Monitoring: Monitor closure of action items.
  • Environmental Compliance: Provide annual review and assurance of conformance and compliance to site environmental obligations (Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan, Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures plan, waste management, etc.).
  • Emergency Response Management: Manage the site Emergency Plan and Emergency Response Team.

2. EHS Advisor Details

  • Injury Management: Develop and promote injury management strategies that focus on early intervention and injury recovery, and durable return to work across the relevant regions of Australia.
  • Coaching and Competency Development: Provide coaching and advice to managers to develop injury management competency.
  • Workers Compensation Management: Manage workers' compensation claims for injured employees across the relevant regions of Australia.
  • Ergonomic Support: Facilitate ergonomic support for employees working onsite and working from home.
  • EHS Management System Support: Provide hands-on implementation support of the EHS Management System to senior managers, employees, and EHS Committees.
  • Hazard Identification and Risk Management: Provide expert advice in relation to hazard identification and risk management.
  • EHS Audits and Inspections: Undertake, monitor, and review EHS audits and inspections and assess the appropriateness of remedial actions proposed and implemented.
  • Corrective Action Implementation: Drive corrective action implementation.
  • Emergency Preparedness: Implement and maintain emergency preparedness processes and ensure personnel are trained and resources are in place to support the organization’s response capability.
  • EHS Culture Promotion: Promote a culture of care for people and the environment, by partnering with management and employees to embed and improve EHS in day-to-day activities.
  • EHS Training: Develop and deliver EHS training programs to support effective hazard identification and risk management.
  • Continuous Improvement: Contribute to the cycle of continuous improvement in all areas of EHS.

3. EHS and Fleet Advisor Responsibilities

  • EHS Needs Assessment: Conduct needs assessments for key EHS areas (such as Fire, First Aid, Wellbeing).
  • Program Leadership: Lead and own programs for DSE, Driver Safety, Traveller Safety.
  • EHS Advisory Service: Provide EHS advisory service to the site and stakeholders, reporting into the Site Management Committee on a regular basis.
  • EHS Audits and Assessments: Participate in site EHS self-assessments, annual EHS reviews, EHS audits, and any CAPAs.
  • Risk Management: Maintain an EHS risk register to ensure risk assessments are conducted, current, and renewed accordingly.
  • EHS Documentation Management: Manage EHS documentation and reporting on EHSphere.
  • Induction Training Management: Ownership of EHS induction training for staff, contractors, and visitors.
  • Refresher Training and Assessment: Management of EHS refresher training and assessment for staff and EHS group roles (Fire, First Aid, Mental Health).
  • Site Safety Rules Input: Input onto site rules for staff and visitors, including the promotion of safety on site.
  • Fleet Services Management: Own the contract for fleet services and be the key contact for fleet management providing support to company car holders.
  • Fleet Utilization: Manage the fleet provision ensuring that vehicles are utilized effectively, working closely with procurement as necessary to ensure best value for money.
  • Fleet Monitoring: Monitor fleet and report into EHSphere, ensuring that vehicles are registered, inspected, and assessed on a regular basis.
  • Fleet Project Management: Manage fleet projects (such as electric/hybrid scheme).

4. EHS Advisor Job Summary

  • Compliance Monitoring: Support the monitoring of compliance with procedures, legislation, and general safe working practice through audits, inspections, and other appropriate monitoring.
  • Safety Inductions and Training: Perform safety inductions (Employee and Contractor) and, where appropriate, support the ongoing development of the Occupational Health, Safety, Environment, and Wellbeing training program.
  • Risk Assessment and Investigation: Assist in the delivery of suitable and sufficient risk assessments, accident/incident investigations, reporting, and training.
  • External Liaison: Assist with senior team members to liaise with external bodies, e.g., fire brigade, insurance company, supply chain, and enforcement agencies.
  • EHS Support: Provision of service to departments on matters of Environment Health and Safety (EHS).
  • Occupational Hygiene and Environmental Monitoring: May assist in Occupational Hygiene and Environmental monitoring programs.
  • Specialized Training: May assist in training other employees in specialized areas.
  • Environmental Regulation Interpretation: Interpret complex environmental regulations and problem-solve implementation on site.
  • Environmental Compliance and Improvement: Deliver environmental compliance and continual improvement.
  • EMS Management: Responsible for maintaining and improving the EMS.
  • Environmental Monitoring and Compliance: Support environmental monitoring, help maintain compliance with Environmental Permits, manage the environmental budget, develop procedures, and provide environmental training.
  • Problem Solving and Reporting: Analyze problems and write reports.
  • Environmental Project Management: Responsible for EMS; ISO 14001 Lead, Eu-ETS management, Environmental Reporting (EA, Corporate and GRI), Environmental Incident investigation, RCAs and Incident Analysis, in-field checks and audits, and managing small projects.
  • Shop Floor Interaction: Interact with the shop floor in an effective way in order to positively change the culture on site.

5. EHS Advisor Accountabilities

  • Accident Investigation: Investigating accidents, near misses, etc. that result from mechanical malfunction, material failure, or human error.
  • Hazard Identification and Prevention: Identifying hazards and recommendations for preventative measures and corrective action.
  • Safety Committee Coordination: Coordinate safety committee activities and mentor and coach our 38 onsite Health and Safety Representatives.
  • OHS Training Development: Development and delivery of OHS training packages to operations and technical personnel.
  • EH&S Compliance Advice: Provide competent advice to line management on EH&S, as well as related compliance issues.
  • Risk Management Support: Support managers to ensure all significant risks are covered by a suitable and sufficient risk management plan.
  • EH&S Documentation Management: Maintain EH&S procedures, risk assessments, and documentation.
  • SOP Review: Review SOPs within the site document management system.
  • EH&S Training Coordination: In collaboration with the Training Department, ensure EH&S training (including induction) is provided, monitored, and recorded.
  • Accident Reporting and Investigation: Coordinate the reporting and investigation of accidents, injuries, dangerous occurrences, near misses, and work-related ill health.
  • EH&S Audits and Inspections: Oversee/participate in workplace EH&S audits and inspections.
  • EH&S Committee Participation: Coordinate and attend EH&S committee meetings and maintain records.