Environment Health and Safety Lead - Kolkata

Overview

Main purpose: -

• To act as chief safety officer as per statutory requirement

• To develop, implement and maintain environmental, health and safety programs to ensure compliance with legal regulations and company standards. The role focuses on risk reduction, incident prevention, and fostering a strong safety culture across the organization.

• To ensure all statutory documents and safety practices are in line with Factories Act 1948, West Bengal Factory Rules 1958, CPCB and SPCB Mandates.

Responsibilities

Duties of Chief Safety Officers as stipulated under The West Bengal Factories (Safety Officers) Rules, 1978

The duties of a Safety Officer shall be to advise and assist the factory management in the fulfilment of obligations, statutory or otherwise, concerning prevention of personal injuries and maintaining a safe working environment.

Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-rule (1), such duties may include -

to advise the concerned departments in planning and organizing measures necessary for the effective control of personal injuries and industrial diseases

to advise on safety aspects of all jobs and to carry out detailed job safety analysis of selected jobs

to carry out safety inspections in order to identify unsafe plant or equipment and hazardous conditions of work, and carry out safety observation to identify unsafe work practices and procedures followed by workers, and to suggest measures to be adopted for remedying defects found

to advise and assist on matters relating to carrying out safety inspections and safety observations by concerned departments

to design and conduct, either independently or in collaboration with the training department, suitable training and educational programmes for all levels in the organization and specifically for the supervisory staff for the prevention of personal injuries and industrial diseases

to check and evaluate the effectiveness of the action taken or proposed to be taken to prevent personal injuries and industrial diseases

to advise the purchasing and store departments on the availability and the specifications of any new machinery, plant, appliance or equipment including personal protective equipment, to be installed or used in the factory in order to ensure high standard of safety and protection of health of the employees

to advise concerned departments on matters relating to reporting and investigation of causes of industrial accidents and diseases

to investigate into causes and circumstances of every fatal, serious and select accident and dangerous occurrence, compile necessary reports and tender advice to prevent their recurrence

to investigate into the cases of every industrial disease

to promote setting up of safety committees and act as adviser and catalyst to such committees,

to organize in collaboration with the concerned department, campaigns, competitions, contests and other activities which will develop and maintain the interest of the workers in establishing and maintaining sage conditions of work and procedures

to advise on the maintenance of records as are necessary relating to accidents, dangerous occurrences and industrial diseases, and present information in appropriate form for the use of management and others in assessing safety performance

to maintain liaison with other departments in the factory, including medical and training departments, and with the Directorate of Factories, Fire Services, local authorities and other organizations engaged in the promotion of industrial safety

Health & Safety Management

• Develop and implement GEHSMS (Global Environment Health & Safety Management System) policies, procedures, and programs.

• Ensure compliance with local, national, and international EHS regulations.

• Conduct risk assessments (HIRA/JSA/AI) and implement control measures.

• Lead incident investigations and ensure root cause analysis.

• Drive safety initiatives such as behavior-based safety (BBS), safety campaigns, and audits, EHS digitization for site

Environmental Compliance

• Ensure compliance with environmental laws (air, water, waste management).

• Monitor emissions, effluents, and waste disposal practices.

• Manage sustainability and environmental improvement initiatives.

• Maintain environmental documentation and statutory records.

Audits & Inspections

• Conduct internal EHS audits and coordinate external audits.

• Ensure closure of audit findings within timelines.

• Perform workplace inspections and compliance checks.

Training & Awareness

• Design, develop and deliver EHS training programs for employees and contractors.

• Promote safety awareness and continuous improvement culture.

• Ensure competency development for critical EHS roles.

Emergency Preparedness

• Create and maintain emergency response plans (ERP).

• Conduct mock drills (fire, chemical spill, evacuation).

• Coordinate with local authorities and emergency services.

Fire Prevention

• Establish and maintain robust fire safety and emergency management systems, including upkeep of fire detection/protection equipment, identification of potential emergencies, and regular mock drills to ensure system effectiveness.
• Support and coordinate FM Global compliance activities by tracking HPR scores, facilitating audits, and implementing action plans.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain EHS records, reports, and dashboards.

• Track KPIs such as RIR, LTIR, near-miss/Hazard reporting, etc.

• Submit statutory reports to regulatory bodies.

Contractor Safety Management

• Ensure contractor compliance with EHS standards.

• Conduct safety inductions and permit-to-work (PTW) monitoring.

Qualifications

Qualifications under The West Bengal Factories (Safety Officers) Rules, 1978

(a) possesses a degree of a recognized University or its equivalent in any branch of engineering or technology with two years experience in a position of supervision or management in a factory in either the production or the maintenance or the safety department, or

a degree of recognized University in Physics and Chemistry with five years' experience in a position of supervision, or management in a factory in either the production or the maintenance or the safety department, or

a diploma in any branch of engineering or technology recognized by the State Government with five years experience in a position of supervision or management in a factory in either the production or the maintenance or the safety department;

(b) possesses a degree or diploma or certificate in industrial safety recognized by the State Government;

(c) has thorough knowledge of Bengali acquired through an institution under a Board of Secondary Education or affiliated to a University or recognized by the State Government;

(d) has qualified at a viva voce test conducted by a Board constituted by the Labour Department, Government of West Bengal, for the purpose;

(e) can speak Hindi; and

(f) is not less than 23 years of age

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Environmental Science (preferred)
• Diploma/Certification in Industrial Safety (preferred)

Experience

• 10-12 years of experience in relevant industry

Certifications (Preferred):

• Regional Labour Institutes (RLI) Certified (Mandotory)

• NEBOSH / IOSH / ISO 45001 Lead Auditor / ISO 14001 Lead Auditor

Key Skills

• Strong knowledge of EHS regulations and standards

• Risk assessment & incident investigation expertise

• Audit and compliance management

• Leadership and stakeholder management
• Excellent communication and training skills

Behavioral Competencies

• Safety-first mindset

• Proactive problem-solving

• Influencing and leadership skills

• Collaborative