Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Upstream Safety Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

The Upstream Safety Supervisor leads onshore and offshore health, safety and environment (HSE) activities for upstream oil & gas operations (drilling, completions, production and well interventions). This role ensures safe execution of operations by developing and enforcing HSE systems, conducting risk assessments and incident investigations, coordinating emergency response, managing contractor safety, and coaching operational teams to meet corporate, client and regulatory HSE standards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

HSE Advisor / HSE Officer (upstream operations)
Rig Safety Coordinator or Offshore HSE Specialist
Field Operations Supervisor with strong safety focus

Advancement To:

Senior HSE Supervisor / HSE Team Lead
HSE Manager (Upstream Projects or Area HSE Manager)
Regional HSE Director or Asset Manager with HSE accountability

Lateral Moves:

Operations Supervisor (Drilling/Production) with combined HSE remit
Emergency Response Coordinator / Incident Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the HSE management system for upstream operations (drilling, completions, production, well intervention), ensuring alignment with corporate policy, client requirements and industry standards (e.g., API, ISO 45001, local regulations).
Plan, coordinate and lead operational safety activities during mobilization, drilling, completion and production campaigns, ensuring all work is executed in accordance with approved procedures and risk controls.
Conduct and facilitate comprehensive risk assessments (JSA/JHA, HAZID, HAZOP inputs, bow-tie analysis) for high-risk activities and new scopes of work; define and verify effective controls and monitoring requirements.
Manage the permit-to-work system: issue, review and close permits (hot work, confined space, height work, electrical isolation), and ensure permit compliance during shift turnovers and handovers.
Lead incident investigations and root cause analysis (using methodologies such as TapRooT, 5-why or fault tree), prepare corrective action plans, track implementation and report lessons learned to prevent recurrence.
Conduct routine and targeted workplace inspections, safety rounds and barrier effectiveness checks; raise findings, assign corrective actions and verify timely closure.
Develop, deliver and track HSE training programs, inductions and toolbox talks for employees, contractors and subcontractors; maintain training matrices and competency records.
Coordinate and lead emergency response planning and drills (MUSTER, oil spill response, evacuation, medical evacuation, fire and rescue), act as incident command or support the incident command structure as required.
Oversee contractor selection, pre-qualification, onboarding and performance monitoring; ensure contractors comply with company HSE standards and implement improvement actions where necessary.
Monitor and report HSE performance through leading and lagging indicators (TRIR, LTIF, near-miss rate, HSE observations, corrective action closure rate); prepare monthly/quarterly reports and present to site leadership and clients.
Implement and maintain process safety initiatives to manage major accident hazards (MAH), including mechanical integrity, safety critical element (SCE) verification, permit-to-work for process operations and management of change (MOC) procedures.
Ensure environmental compliance for upstream operations including spill prevention and response, waste segregation and disposal, emissions monitoring, and permitting obligations.
Manage occupational health programs (medical surveillance, noise and vibration monitoring, heat stress management, fatigue risk management) and coordinate fit-for-duty testing (drug & alcohol).
Participate in project design reviews and planning to provide HSE input for wells and facilities, ensuring constructability and operability from an HSE perspective.
Lead behavioral safety and safety culture initiatives (Stop Work Authority, hazard reporting, safety observations) to influence frontline behavior and improve proactive hazard identification.
Supervise and mentor HSE team members and field-based safety personnel; assign tasks, set objectives, perform performance reviews and develop capability plans.
Conduct HSE audits and compliance assessments against internal standards, client contracts and regulatory requirements; develop corrective action plans and verify closure.
Maintain HSE documentation, records and registers (incidents, permits, inspections, training, equipment certifications); ensure accurate, auditable files and handover packs.
Liaise with regulatory authorities, clients, emergency services and community stakeholders during operations, audits and incident notifications; prepare regulatory submissions and compliance responses.
Manage procurement and maintenance of safety-critical equipment and PPE; ensure calibration and inspection regimes are in place for gas detectors, breathing apparatus, firefighting and escape equipment.
Drive cost-effective HSE improvements by recommending mitigation measures, optimizing resources and supporting budget preparation for safety initiatives.
Provide on-shift HSE leadership during high-risk operations, ensuring rapid decision-making and escalation to site management when barrier degradation or imminent hazards are identified.
Champion lessons learned and continuous improvement by driving incident trend analysis, sharing best practices across assets and implementing preventive programs.

Secondary Functions

Support pre-bid and tender activities by preparing HSE scopes, risk registers and contractual HSE requirements for upstream projects.
Contribute HSE input to workpack preparation, scope of work reviews and execution planning to ensure safe work sequencing and resource allocation.
Participate in cross-functional safety committees and steering groups to align operational objectives and HSE priorities across assets.
Support digital HSE initiatives (e.g., Enablon/Intelex implementation, mobile inspection tools) and advise on data quality for HSE analytics and reporting.
Mentor junior staff on incident reporting, causal analysis and compliance expectations to build organizational capability.
Assist in occupational hygiene campaigns (air monitoring, chemical exposure assessments) and track corrective actions for workplace exposures.
Manage interface HSE risks during third-party activities, handovers between rigs/units and seasonal work changes.
Provide technical HSE input during vendor and equipment inspections, FAT/SAT witness and commissioning activities.
Support corporate sustainability and environmental reporting obligations related to upstream activities.
Maintain up-to-date awareness of regulatory changes and industry best practices; implement changes to policies and procedures as required.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Strong knowledge of upstream oil & gas operations (drilling, completion, production, well intervention) and associated HSE hazards and controls.
HSE management systems implementation (ISO 45001 / OHSMS), permit-to-work administration and management of change (MOC).
Incident investigation and root cause analysis methodologies (TapRooT, 5-why, causal factor analysis) and CAPA tracking.
Risk assessment techniques: JSA/JHA, HAZID, HAZOP inputs, bow-tie and barrier analysis.
Emergency response and crisis management experience (ICP/ICS, muster, medical evacuation, spill response planning).
Process safety fundamentals: safety critical elements (SCE), mechanical integrity, PSSR and loss of containment prevention.
Regulatory compliance expertise (local upstream regulations, API standards, OSHA, local maritime/offshore codes).
Contractor HSE management, pre-qualification and audit processes.
Proficiency with HSE software platforms and reporting tools (Enablon, Intelex, SAP EHS or equivalent) and Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint).
Occupational health and industrial hygiene knowledge (noise, chemical exposures, medical surveillance).
Permit-to-work and isolation procedures, confined space entry and hot work control.
Training design and delivery capabilities; ability to develop competency matrices and verify certifications.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people management with proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams in remote/onshore/offshore environments.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills — able to present HSE performance to senior management and clients.
Situational awareness and sound decision-making under pressure during high-risk operations or incidents.
Coaching and mentoring aptitude to build frontline HSE capability and influence behavior change.
Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills with clients, regulators and contractors.
Critical thinking and problem-solving with high attention to detail and systematic follow-up.
Cultural sensitivity and adaptability to work in multicultural, multi-vendor teams.
Resilience and personal accountability to enforce safety standards consistently.
Analytical skills to interpret HSE metrics, perform trend analysis and recommend data-driven improvements.
Time management and prioritization to balance operational demands with HSE compliance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering (Mechanical/Chemical/Petroleum) or related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Engineering or Safety Management; professional safety qualifications such as NEBOSH Diploma, IOSH, CSP/CIH or equivalent.
Additional training/certification in emergency response, maritime/offshore safety (BOSIET, HUET), rig safety or process safety management is an advantage.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Occupational Health & Safety
Environmental Science / Engineering
Mechanical, Chemical or Petroleum Engineering
Industrial Hygiene / Public Health

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5 - 12 years of progressive HSE experience, with a minimum of 3 years in upstream oil & gas or offshore/onshore drilling and production environments.

Preferred:

8+ years in upstream HSE roles with demonstrable supervisory/leadership experience and direct responsibility for incident investigation, emergency response and contractor HSE management.
Proven track record of implementing HSE management systems and driving measurable improvements in safety performance on rigs, platforms or well sites.