Covid-19 has exponentially increased conversation around the topic of health and safety. Many companies who may have considered themselves medium or low in risk have now had their eyes opened to the fact that without the proper management of health and safety in place, operations can be shut down or severely curtailed overnight.

In addition to the ethical and moral reasons behind developing and implementing robust HSE management systems, the financial reasons are now at the forefront of many companies minds; how to ensure that they position themselves to successfully bid for tenders, win more work, secure further revenue and safeguard profits.

To aid companies in these objectives and provide health and safety support there are numerous companies or individuals touting themselves as “HSE Consultants” How do you evaluate and decide if they are any good, and if they are, will they be the best fit for your company ?

Look at their Trade Licence:

• Some companies try and conduct HSE Consultancy work without the required licence and approvals. Ask to see the companies Trade Licence; does it have “Professional Health and Safety Consultants” on it ? If not, they are not an HSE Consultancy licensed to work in the UAE

Look at their Hands on Experience:

• Look for evidence that the Health and Safety Consultancy company have previously successfully dealt with problems similar to yours. Their case studies should provide tangible evidence of successful past project delivery

Do they Speak in Jargon Free Language:

• Health and Safety is an industry full of anachronisms and it is easy to become confused by the jargon filled language. Therefore, it is vital to choose an HSE Consultancy who will take the time to thoroughly understand your problems and provide you with considered, tailored advice and solutions delivered in straightforward terms
• At it’s most basic level, if you can’t understand what the Consultant is saying what good is their service ?

Do they Provide User Friendly Solutions:

• We often get calls from clients who have had other consultancies develop “copy paste” systems for them. Leaving them with a bunch of almost useless paperwork not aligned to the companies activities and certainly not structured in a way that the client is able to manage themselves thereafter
• An HSE Consultant should ensure that they provide workable, user friendly HSE solutions aligned to the clients activities and operations. Leaving them with an easy to manage workflow and process to ensure ease of reporting and compliance. Be sure to question your potential HSE Consultancy on how their solution will ensure this

Will they Build Capacity and Ensure Knowledge Transfer:

• Ask if the HSE Consultant is happy to build value into their service by ensuring that knowledge transfer is present throughout the project. Building capacity and leaving you in a stronger position than before once the project is finished

Do they have a Technical Governance Policy in Place:

• Ideally, the HSE Consultancy should have a robust Technical Governance and Quality Policy in place underpinning their work. Ask to see a copy of this if it is available

Look to see that the HSE Consultant has Significant Experience as a Consultant:

• In the current economic climate we are seeing more and more HSE Managers moving into Consultancy. The skill set is very different. Ask for your potential HSE Consultants CV to investigate their length of service spent as a Health and Safety Consultant

Are they Experienced in your Sector:

• Although business can benefit from the cross pollination of ideas from other industries and it can prove useful to have access to an HSE Consultant who can bring fresh ideas and thinking – sometimes it is more important to use a Consultant who understands your industry in depth

What are their Academic Qualifications:

• Ideally an HSE Consultant should be a NEBOSH Diploma qualified, in addition to the entry grade NEBOSH International General Certificate

What are their Professional Memberships:

• In addition to academic qualifications, look for membership of professional bodies such as; CIMOSH or FIIRSM. This shows that the HSE Consultant is committed to continuous professional development

 

Corporate OHS are UAE based Health and Safety Consultancy whose HSE Consultants offer expert resources and superior performance to give you greater results.

We specialize in creating workable, user friendly HSE systems aligned to business activities and operations.

Our range of health and safety consultancy services includes;

• Health, Safety and Fire risk assessments
• Hazard identification and control measures
• HSE management system development, implementation and review
• Including locally compliant systems such as OSHAD
• And/or accredited systems such as ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001
• HSE legal compliance reviews and audit
• Accident investigations
• Business continuity and crisis management
• Long term or project based HSE outsourcing

In addition to project work and to aid companies in need of HSE resource but without a full time headcount; Corporate OHS also offers the option of a flexible contract and a monthly retainer, giving  access to HSE services without the burden of permanent cost. For enquiries or to find out more about our services, please visit our website or send an email to enquiries@corporateohs.com