This question had been in my mind for a very long time before I decided to ask fellow professionals; I know there are some HSE professionals who also need an answer to this question.
Difference Between An HSE Officer And an HSE Manager?
Who is an HSE Manager?
From the understanding of management, in summary, an HSE manager designs, develops, and controls the health and Safety structure in any organization.
Who is an HSE Officer?
An HSE officer is saddled with the responsibility of monitoring the Health and safety system to ensure it is working as planned and also complies with statutory requirements and the organization’s best practices.
From the responsibilities stated above, you can see a clear demarcation between the HSE officer and an HSE Manager, but in the Health and safety profession, most times we see an overlap in the responsibilities of an HSE officer and an HSE manager. We see HSE Officers possessing some qualifications that some HSE managers do not possess, Some HSE Officers earn a better salary than some HSE managers.
This is why I came up with this question; What is the ” Difference between an HSE Officer and an HSE Manager “?
These are some responses from some HSE professionals on this question I posted on LinkedIn:
“What is the ” Difference between an HSE Officer and an HSE Manager “; answers should be based on responsibilities, qualifications, and salary”.
I quote:
- “The HSE Manager is saddled with the responsibility of developing and monitoring HSE policy, programs, processes, etc, that will help improve the HSE-MS of the organization.
While
The HSE Officer is responsible for enforcing all of the above P’s.
On certification, certificates do not really differentiate people in this profession as such because everyone has access to NEBOSH, OSHA, NISP/ISPON, etc. What counts is a hands-on experience, the magnitude of hazards/risks you successfully overcome, and your records.
Salary will largely depend on industry and associated risk”.
Mr. Augustine Agboiyi
- “I have tried researching the topic. I found out that organizations use the designations HSE Manager, HSE Officer, HSE Supervisor, or HSE Coordinator based on their individual organizational structure. It is not based on any professional hierarchy. They are just titles based on the organizational perception of the HSE role. The qualifications are the same, but individual experience differs and that determines output.
You may have one organization call their own HSE Supervisor or Coordinator but the person called HSE Officer in another organization may be more experienced and productive. However, some organizations with well develop HSE-MS might well have an HSE practitioner who should possess advanced experience to oversee the affairs of the HSE department in relation to the other departments as an HSE Manager.
In terms of their responsibilities, it is virtually the same. An HSE Officer in an organization without a dedicated HSE department must be saddled with the same responsibilities of creating policies, developing templates and documents as well as enforcing the policies.
The salary depends on the level of recognition accorded to HSE as a system not on the title of the person.”
Mr. Obioma Futurehope O.
Summary of the Responses
From the above responses from those professionals, the subject matter had been made clear. The job designation is just a title adopted by an organization and they also determine the responsibility. The salary they pay is also determined by the value the organization places on the HSE profession.
Points to note about the ” Difference between a HSE Officer and HSE Manager “
- There are no statutory duties of an HSE Officer, HSE manager, HSE Coordinator, or HSE Advisor; it is organization dependent. Keep in mind that duties do overlap. Though you may see, “Duties of an HSE officer” more may be expected from you with the same designation (HSE Officer or Safety Officer). Just keep yourself abreast with what could be required of you as an HSE professional and develop yourself towards that.
- There is also no standard salary scale for an HSE professional; it is organization-dependent.
- For qualification: The qualification needed for whatever HSE role you are to occupy is determined by the organization that wants to hire you. I have seen several HSE job posts; some qualifications needed for an HSE Officer role in some organizations are higher than the qualifications needed for an HSE Coordinator and HSE Manager role in other organizations. As an HSE professional, always search for opportunities for career development; and enroll in HSE training. This is the only way you can sustain steady growth in the HSE profession and also get better offers.
- Lastly: The most important factor is experience, gain as much experience as you can whenever the opportunity presents itself. This will be the only thing that will stand you out from other professionals. Everyone has access to training as long as the finance is available, not everyone does not have access to experience since it cannot be bought.
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