Enhancing HSE capacity through training, education, and skill development is essential for building a competent workforce
Jesbin Joseph, Corporate EHS HEAD, Convenient Construction Consultancy Pvt Ltd talks about his organization and its focus areas in HSE, challenges they face as HSE professionals, the strategies/solutions they deploy to alleviate those challenges, his views on current HSE scenario in Indian industries and what more needs to be done to change it and new HSE initiatives they plan to implement within their organization in the near future.
Interviewed by Adeesh Sharma & Nisha Biradar
1. Please tell us about your organization and its focus areas in HSE ?
Our organization is dedicated to promoting Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) standards across all aspects of our operations. Our primary focus areas in HSE includes Employee Safety,Risk Management,Environmental Stewardship,Compliance,Continuous Improvement.
Overall, our organization is dedicated to fostering a culture of safety, responsibility, and environmental stewardship, with a commitment to protecting the well-being of our employees, the communities in which we operate, and the environment. We strongly believe employees are our backbone of the company.
2. What challenges do you face as a key HSE professional ?
Managing Training Needs,Finding Enough Time,Changing Regulatory Landscape,Contractor Management,Budget Constraints,Lack of resources,Poor communication between departments.
3. What strategies/solutions you deploy to alleviate those challenges?
Continuous Education and Training,Leadership Engagement,provide visual safety aids and messages, create a safety committee and hold monthly safety meetings,Regular Safety and Operational Audits,Managing Safety on the Go.
4. What are your views on current HSE scenario in Indian industries and what more needs to be done to change it?
The current HSE scenario in Indian industries has shown improvements in recent years, but there are still significant challenges that need to be addressed to ensure the safety and well-being of workers and the environment. Some observations and recommendations include:-
Progressive Regulations,Building a strong safety culture,Empowering workers to actively participate in HSE initiatives, Implementing robust risk management practices, including thorough risk assessments, hazard identification, Indian industries must prioritize sustainable practices, such as energy efficiency, waste reduction, and pollution prevention. Investing in green technologies, adopting circular economy principles, and complying with environmental regulations,Enhancing HSE capacity through training, education, and skill development is essential for building a competent workforce,Collaboration among government agencies, industry stakeholders, NGOs, and community organizations is crucial for driving collective action on HSE issues.
Overall, while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to improve the HSE scenario in Indian industries.
5. What new HSE initiatives are you planning to implement within your organization in the near future?
As a key HSE professional, implementing new initiatives within our organization is crucial for continuously improving our health, safety, and environmental performance. Some new HSE initiatives we are planning to implement in the near future include:-
Implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) management ,Launching behavior-based safety programs to focus on identifying and addressing unsafe behaviors and promoting safe practices among employees,Implementing digital safety solutions, such as mobile apps for incident reporting, safety inspections, and hazard identification,Introducing wellness and mental health programs to support the holistic well-being of our employees,Enhancing emergency response training for employees to ensure readiness and effectiveness in responding to potential emergencies, such as fires, chemical spills, or medical incidents, Expanding our sustainability initiatives to reduce our environmental footprint and promote sustainable practices,Implementing supplier sustainability assessments to evaluate the environmental and social performance of our suppliers and subcontractors, Establishing a structured framework for continuous improvement in HSE performance,Strengthening our community engagement programs to collaborate with local stakeholders and address HSE concerns in the communities where we operate.
By implementing these new HSE initiatives, we aim to enhance our organization's HSE performance, promote a culture of safety and sustainability, and ensure the well-being of our employees, communities, and the environment.