Head of HSE (Southern) in St Albans

About Barhale

Barhale is a business founded on family values, having been established by our Chairman, Dennis Curran, in 1980. We are one of the largest privately owned civil engineering and infrastructure specialists in the UK, with over 40 years of experience in providing design, civil engineering and maintenance services working across multiple sectors, including:

• Water
• Transport
• Built environment
• Energy

We operate as a tier one partner for blue chip, regulated and private clients, working as part of large frameworks, joint ventures and alliances, as well as on individual standalone projects, developing long‑term relationships based on delivering to the Barhale values which have been integral to our business since their inception in 1985. Our direct delivery model is at the core of everything we do, as we believe that people are our greatest asset. Therefore, we robustly source, train and retain all our own frontline delivery teams as well as management and support services. We employ over 1,200 employees nationwide. We possess a range of specialist skills to support our civil engineering and infrastructure activities, including:

• Tunnelling
• MEICA
• Temporary and permanent design
• Steel‑fabrication
• Signs (design and fabrication)
• Health & safety equipment and products, including PPE

Why join Barhale?

As Gold Investors in People, we are committed to a high standard of people practices, creating an inclusive environment and ensuring cultural alignment to business strategy, ethos and philosophies. Job security, long‑term secured work through various frameworks and large infrastructure schemes. A broad range of civil engineering, mechanical and electrical schemes across some of the UK's largest infrastructure projects and clients. Strong career progression as demonstrated by our track record in promoting from within, as we believe this is a key driver of our success.

The Role

As Head of HSE, you will manage and support the HSE Managers and HSE Advisory Team within the area of your control to meet the requirements of the Health, Safety & Environment Management systems. Lead and champion HSE initiatives to support the corporate HSE strategy and local regional supporting HSE plans within areas of your control, whilst ensuring that legislation is adhered to. Assist the HSE Director in working on further developing and embedding HSE Management Systems and strategic actions at a corporate level to enable continual business improvement. An additional function will be to review our Health & Safety and Environmental Training Strategy and maintain its structure and content to meet the ongoing business needs. Take ownership of HSE procedures under the direction of the HSE Director, ensuring they are regularly reviewed and updated to embed lessons learned under the direction of the HSE Director.

Key Responsibilities

• Occupational Health

• Support the provision of Occupational Health within the regions of control, under the direction of the HSE Director.
• Assist with the communication and promotion of the monthly themes.
• Promote the value of Occupational Health & Wellbeing at a local level.
• Manage and lead HSE Team Members for allocated areas of control.
• Provide consistent and accurate HSE Leadership, support and advice to HSE Team members.
• Hold regular regional‑level HSEQ Team meetings and monitor actions and outputs.
• Give HSE Leadership support to regions on HSE initiatives, issues and problems.
• Ensure regional HSE statistics are maintained and reported corporately to identify trends and determine proactive initiatives.

• Be the lead HSE representative for Client support for the region under your control.
• Ensure Client‑led HSE forums are represented by the HSE Team at the appropriate level and support lessons learnt, feedback, and sharing of best practices.
• Form collaborative relationships with the Client's senior HSE representatives.

• Contribute to general communications at a company level.
• Ensure the HSE Team creates lessons learnt and shares with Site Teams, Clients and the wider business.
• Support the regional lead with balanced HSE scorecard performance feedback, identifying areas for improvement and supporting the delivery of improvement through focused regional HSE plan deliverables.
• Lead regional HSE Communications and communicate HSE alerts, lessons learned bulletins following incidents to promote learning and prevention, and continual improvement.
• Prepare Weekly HSE Flash Reports for cascade as directed by the HSE Director.
• Support the HSE Director in maintaining HSEQ performance statistics monthly, as requested.
• Manage the development of Regional HSE Plans in support of the Corporate HSE strategy and local regional HSE improvement needs, monitor progress and provide regional updates.
• Provide the Regional Lead with the monthly HSE report as defined by the HSE Director.

• Ensure the local HSE Team is trained in Kelvin TOP-SET protocols.
• Escalate Category 1&2 incidents via regional incident reporting WhatsApp to the Regional Director/HSE Director and COO within 2 hours of the incident.
• Support significant incident reviews (SIR's) as directed by the HSE Director and Regional Director.
• Lead HSE Team investigation reviews for HSE investigations to ensure immediate, underlying and root cause(s) are properly defined and appropriate, as well as ensuring actions support future prevention.
• Keep local and corporate senior management informed on the status of investigation activities.
• Lead, support and review HSE alerts / Flash reports as above.
• Act as an independent Lead Investigator in other areas of the business under the direction of the HSE Director.

• Conduct regular leadership visits to support and lead by example within the areas of your control.
• Carry out one SMI every month in the area of your control.
• Act as a role model for HSE in the area under your control.

• Provide HSE management support for Facilities Managers at the company premises on HSE-related issues and provisions.
• Check HSE Team monitoring of HSE standards at company premises and ensure legal obligations are being upheld.

Essential:

• NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent as a minimum, but ideally IOSH CEnv (Chartered Environmentalist) or equivalent as a minimum, but ideally an associate ISEP (The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Practices).
• Analytical skills to interpret detailed information and regulations.
• High standard of written English.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with staff and operatives at all levels.
• Excellent use of MS Office - Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• CSCS Safety Professional card.
• Leadership and mentoring skills, with proven ability in developing the HSE team members and encouraging them to work independently to meet tight deadlines.

Desirable:

• HSE experience within a civil engineering environment and experience in the rail sector.
• Leading Investigation course - 3-day Kelvin TOPSET or equivalent.

Caring and investing in you

Our values have been embedded at Barhale for over 40 years, and they are our guiding principles regarding how we care and invest in people. Our values are our commitment to being a people‑centric company. As a Gold Investors in People company and a Sunday Times 100 Best Company to Work For, we are committed to investing in people. We are passionate about creating a working environment where people are supported throughout their careers, where people can enjoy security and be part of a company that cares about them. From the moment you join us, your well‑being and career aspirations will be supported by.

Competitive salary, Company Pension, Life Assurance, Private Medical, 25 days of annual leave in addition to 8 public bank holidays and loyalty days, 8 hours volunteering, Employee Assistance Programme to support your mental, physiological and financial wellbeing, Flexible benefits via salary sacrifice, Company car/green car scheme/car allowance/Van (dependent on position), Leadership & management training and coaching, Regular line management engagement and appraisal to support your career progression, Development supported by internal and externally delivered training, Continuous service awards.

Would you like to know more? Please contact our Recruitment team via careers@barhale.co.uk