Posted By Trinisafe Hello My HSE comrades , I live in the Caribbean on the island of Trinidad and Tobago.I am really in need of some professional advice.I am a HSE Advisor but more recently I got a job as a HSE Manager 2 weeks ago.The nature of this company's operation is a drilling fluids service company. My challenge is I do not know how or where to start..There is a existing HSE management system in the company as well as some form of hse practice but there is visible signs of non commitmitment, lack of documentation and information filing and retrieval system in other words things are in a mess. can someone please help. NB.My country have recently passed HSE laws,and i have a background in Nebosh

Posted By Pete48 I would go with an assessment of the existing system first. That is what the company publishes as its approach. Do a gap analysis of how well they comply to their own system that you have inherited. Think carefully about why they are failing to meet their own standards if indeed that is what you find. Then and only then start to think about talking to senior managers to explore why this is happening, whether they are happy with things or are looking for you to help them improve. I would counsel as strongly as possible against assuming that you have no allies in senior management and that they are all "couldn't care less" merchants. They manage risk all the time but they often need help in managing H&S risk. Maybe that is why you have been appointed? Any other way and you risk upsetting all sorts of apple carts or should that be sugar cane carts:) Please forward some of that lovely Caribbean sunshine to us poor peeps in the UK, we haven't had much this summer! Good luck.

Posted By Descarte There can be many unseen financial benefits of good management of H+S above the already legal costs of non-compliance and moral obligations. These can include but not limited to: increased worker productivity increased worker health and moral reduced sickness absences less likely chance of damage to plant or machinery higher quality of work or products by reduction in cross contamination safety requirements of maintenance routines on equipment can also increase its poduction life etc. Probably missed some but hope its been a good start for you Des