The Responsibilities of an HSE Advisor

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Involved in the day-to-day operations of an oil rig, an HSE Advisor is arguably the most important person on a drilling team. Also known as safety advisors, they are always expected to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. In most cases, these jobs are filled by a petroleum or mechanical engineer who has extensive experience in drilling and safety operations. Required to have a variety of safety certifications, an HSE Advisor must have an understanding of drilling operations and know how to minimize risk as much as possible.

The First Responder

As the person in charge of safety practices and operations, an HSE Advisor is also put into the role of first responder when an emergency occurs. Whether it’s a fire, injury to an employee, environmental accident, or situation involving malfunctioning equipment, the HSE Advisor is expected to take charge of the situation and act accordingly. Trained in a variety of safety situations, they work closely with maintenance engineers to make sure the company is in compliance with industry safety standards as well as environmental rules and regulations.

Safety and Sanitation

Along with being able to handle emergencies that may arise, HSE Advisors are also responsible for ensuring all safety and sanitation standards are maintained. To accomplish this, regular safety inspections of drilling operations must be conducted on a regular basis. Responsible for promoting safety awareness among employees, they often give safety workshops and seminars to bring employees up-to-date on the latest techniques to make their jobs safer. When it comes to sanitation, HSE Advisors conduct regular inspections of living quarters as well as work areas to ensure OSHA regulations are being followed. To make sure proper food preparation techniques are followed, HSE Advisors also inspect the galley and ensure personnel know the correct methods to use in their jobs.

Facility Representative

Considered to be the facility manager’s representative while aboard the offshore drilling platform, the HSE Advisor responds to all safety matters and provides safety training that is based on a nation’s safety regulations and requirements. For U.S. operations, that is OSHA, while those in the U.K. focus on the Health and Safety Executive. In addition to making sure all employees follow correct safety standards, the advisors must also do the same for contractors working on the platform. Ongoing safety education courses are taught to employees and contractors, with all training that is completed being documented to prove it took place in the event of an accident or injury. Orientation sessions for new employees and contractors are also part of their duties, with safety being the primary emphasis.

Despite the seemingly overwhelming amount of work on their shoulders, HSE Advisors usually perform their duties quite well. As a result, they are also paid well for their time and effort. Average annual salaries exceed $86,000 or more with some advisors who are experienced earning well over $100,000 per year. When it comes to these environment jobs, Canada and other nations find they are rarely hard to fill.