HSE is a commonly used abbreviation for Health and Safety Executive. Sometimes, HSE is also used to abbreviate Health, Safety and Environment. This is often the case when used in the context of a HSE Manager role. A HSE Manager is required to work across all of a business’ departments, acquiring information about departmental practices and assessing their adherence to health and safety policy. This information allows a HSE Manager to analyse the effectiveness of existing policy as well as any issues or concerns. Where an issue is identified, practical measures are taken to rectify any practices that are proving ineffective or are failing to adhere to safety regulations. In addition, a HSE Manager is responsible for the development of new strategies and any necessary new safety policies.

HSE Managers are also required to motivate and direct team members towards project goals, whilst ensuring that relevant safety procedures are followed. In addition to monitoring internal operations, HSE managers are also required to ensure that any external workforce such as consultants, contractors and sub-contractors also adhere to health and safety regulations.

HSE Manager Key Responsibilities

HSE Managers have a host of professional responsibilities, all centred around the safety of a workplace and its workforce. Responsibilities include:

  • Developing safety policies
  • Planning effective training for staff members
  • Investigating workplace incidents
  • Analysing the effectiveness of workplace safety procedures
  • Keeping workplace protocols in alignment with health and safety legislation
  • Hazard identification and control, including:
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Accident & Injury prevention
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Ergonomics (ensuring that individuals are able to use systems comfortably and efficiently)
    • Industrial Hygiene (limiting potential hazards to workers)

HSE Manager Typical Day

Within a typical working day, a HSE Manager will have a large number of tasks to complete, that require them to move from one place to another. For example, if working on a busy site – a HSE Manager is responsible for ensuring that every procedure taking place on site adheres to safety procedures without cutting corners. In addition, the emergence of errors and issues can be unpredictable, some days may be free from emergency intervention, others may see a HSE manager attending to numerous incidents within a small timeframe. On large sites, this may also result in a HSE manager covering large distances on foot during the working day.

HSE Manager Salary

Of course, another important element of any role is its salary. According to online salary information, the average annual salary for a HSE manager can fall anywhere between £40,000 and £45,000, with naturally expected variation across recruiting companies.

HSE Manager Required Experience

When hoping to become a HSE Manager, it is important to consider what educational milestones must be passed when planning your route into the career. What qualifications might you need, in what areas and to what level? As with any professional role, requirements will vary depending on the recruiting company. In the majority of instances, HSE Managers are expected to have obtained a Batchelors Degree in Occupational Health, Safety Management or Environmental Science as a minimum. Such qualifications give applicants access to roles in contexts such as offices, mines or factories to name a few.

In addition to Batchelors degrees, some candidates applying for HSE manager roles may have acquired further qualifications such as Master’s degrees. In contrast, it is possible to secure a HSE Manager role without obtaining any degrees – some candidates become HSE Managers by gaining experience in other lower-level roles such as safety manager. It is also possible to progress to HSE Manager from roles such as Supervisor or Safety Supervisor.

Factors to Consider when Applying to become a HSE Manager

The demand for HSE Managers is predicted to increase over the coming decade, leading to greater opportunities and attractive salaries. This growth is likely to result in the HSE Manager roles and their recruitment processes becoming highly competitive.

On the other hand, the nature of a HSE Manager’s role means a candidate must be prepared to deal with extreme responsibility that influences the safety of a workplace and its workforce. The centrality of regulations and legislation to the role also maximises the importance of a candidate being confident understanding legal material.

Find a HSE Manager Job with BMR Solutions

If you’re on the lookout for your next HSE Manager role, the team of industry experts at BMR Solutions are on hand to advise you. We are recruitment specialists working in the South West, helping talented candidates find the right role for them. With a host of valuable connections and local links, our clients receive access to all of the best opportunities for their desired role.

To speak to a member of our team about how we can help you with your next career move, contact us today. If you’d prefer not to call, submit your CV online and our team of recruiters will get to work finding opportunities for you. In addition, you can also sign up for job alerts, so you never miss out on great opportunities.