What is Health, Safety and Environment (HSE)
According to Wikipedia, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) is an umbrella term for the laws, rules, guidance and processes designed to help protect employees, the public and the environment from harm.
Other acronyms associated with Health Safety and Environment are:
| Acronym | Name | Group |
| OHS | Occupational Health and Safety | Occupational Health and Safety |
| HSE | Health, Safety and Environment | Health, Safety and Environment |
| EHS / EH&S | Environment, Health and Safety | |
| SHE | Safety, Health and Environment | |
| QHSE | Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment | Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment |
| HSEQ | Health, Safety, Environment and Quality | |
| HSSE | Health, Safety, Security and Environment | Health, Safety, Security and Environment |
| QHSSE | Quality, Health, Safety, Security, and Environment | Quality, Health, Safety, Security, and Environment |
| HSSEQ | Health, Safety, Security, Environment, and Quality |
HSE is a management science that concerns with the prevention of accident in the work site, or reduce the effect of accident.
HSE duties are always assigned to HSE specialist.
Duties of a Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) specialist
- Develop, implement and review Health and Safety procedures within the safety management system.
- Monitor the implementation of the approved Health and Safety Plan.
- Provide Health and Safety Management Training.
- Carry out workplace inspections.
- Implementation of Environmental, Health and Safety related activities and programs.
- Report Company’s Health and Safety Performance.
- Conduct regular service and system audit.
- Prepare site Safe Operating Procedures (SOP’s).
- Develop, implement and review Health and Safety procedures within the safety management system.
- Develop safety alerts and staff notice.
- Facilitate Risk Assessments.
- Conduct incident investigations and compile investigation reports.
- Conduct safety inductions and health and safety training.
- Present health and safety meetings and communicate health and safety information, etc.
Qualification of a Health and Safety (HSE) specialist
To be a Health and Safety specialist, you must acquire necessary certifications, and probably gain registration into a Health and Safety organization. There are different Health and Safety certifications; few general Health and Safety certifications include:
- General Health and Safety proficiency course
- Health and Safety supervision course
- Advanced Health and safety course
- NEBOSH International General Certificate
- NEBOSH Diploma
- OHSAS 18001 lead auditors course
Some Health and Safety organization includes:
- ISPON (Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria)
- IOSH (Institute of Occupational Safety and Health )
- BCSF (Board of Certified Safety professionals)
- OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
- IIRSM (International Institute of Risk and Safety Management)
- NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health)
With these necessary Health and Safety qualifications and registration with one or more Health and Safety professional body you are ready to take up the name HSE specialist. The experience required will be gotten as you progress in the profession.
