Health and Safety Head

Job Purpose

• To ensure seamless implementation of health and safety protocols across all the manufacturing sites with adherence to statutory requirements and a focus on continuous enhancement of overall safety standards. The role will involve spearheading strategic initiatives, conducting comprehensive risk assessments and fostering a strong culture of safety and responsibility, thereby safeguarding employee well-being while optimizing operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Define and implement the organization’s Health & Safety strategy in alignment with HSE policies.
• Establish acceptable risk thresholds across operations.
• Lead Safety Committee Meetings (SCM) and ensure systematic implementation of recommendations through structured MIS and MOM tracking.
• Drive the development of a strong safety culture across all sites.
• Plan and implement Health & Safety initiatives within approved budgets.

Emergency Preparedness

• Provide enterprise-level oversight to manufacturing and backwards-integrated operations, ensuring alignment with business strategy.
• Champion operational excellence frameworks (Lean / TPM / Six Sigma) through leadership governance and performance review mechanisms.
• Guide supply chain resilience, vendor development, and inventory optimization strategies.

Risk Assessment & Management

• Establish robust frameworks for hazard identification and risk assessment.
• Ensure timely completion and closure of risk assessment actions.
• Proactively highlight safety concerns and plant conditions to management.
• Conduct gap analysis against current standards and implement corrective action plans.

Safety Culture & Implementation

• Ensure strict compliance with PPE usage across all hazardous operations.
• Develop and implement safety protocols for new projects.
• Coordinate with medical/occupational health teams for employee health monitoring.
• Continuously drive initiatives to enhance overall safety standards.
• Maintain and strengthen systems such as work permits, SOPs, and safety policies.

Incident Investigation

• Promote near-miss reporting and proactive risk identification.
• Lead investigations into incidents, accidents and injuries.
• Identify root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Maintain detailed documentation of incident analysis, findings and action plans.

Documentation & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with statutory requirements with zero non-compliance penalties.
• Liaise with regulatory authorities including Directorate of Industrial Safety & Health, Factory Inspectorate, Fire Department, and other statutory bodies.
• Maintain and update all regulatory records, registers, and MIS documentation.
• Lead internal and external audits (including ISO and customer audits) and drive continuous improvement.

Process Safety

• Ensure identification and communication of process-related hazards across functions.
• Collaborate with mechanical and operations teams on MOC (Management of Change) for hazardous processes.
• Implement robust Process Safety Management (PSM) systems aligned with OSHA and Responsible Care standards.

Process Safety

• Design and deliver safety training programs for employees and workers.
• Ensure awareness and adherence to safety protocols across the organization.
• Drive initiatives to create a safe workplace and reduce incidents, including first-aid cases.

Key Skills

• In-depth understanding of the chemical properties, reactions and potential hazards associated with the substances used.
• Expertise in safety regulations relevant to the chemical industry.
• Proficiency in conducting hazard assessments and risk analyses for chemical processes.
• Knowledge of comprehensive emergency response plan and safety protocols and procedures.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and foster good relations.
• Good communication & presentation skills; ability to liaise with external agencies.

Key Interactions

• Internal: Leadership team and management, Plant heads and cross-functional teams, Site safety teams
• External: Government and regulatory authorities, Auditors and certification bodies, Vendors and service providers.

Qualification & Experience

• B.E. Chemical / M.Sc. Chemistry with PG Diploma in Industrial Safety
• 20–25 years in the chemical industry, preferably in specialty chemicals or agrochemicals
• Age: Upto 55 Years
• Expertise in process safety is a must
• Hands-on experience for external customer audits from MNC companies and well aware about the system and requirements of the MNCs apart from routine internal and external audits.
• Exposure to managing multi-site responsibility or managing a large site having multiple plants.