Many of you asked on TikTok, Facebook and YouTube: what does a safety officer actually do on site every day? Here is my own daily routine as a safety officer, step by step. Everything here is what I do in practice on site.
1. Conduct the toolbox talk (TBT)
The first task of the day is the toolbox talk. Discuss the day’s activity with the workers and the precautions for it. The TBT topic must be relevant to that day’s work. If lifting is going on, do not give a talk on a topic unrelated to lifting.
- Take signatures from all workers on the TBT attendance sheet provided by the company.
- Take a photo of the TBT.
- Send the TBT details to your management every week.
2. Check equipment checklists
On site you will have equipment such as cranes, drilling rigs, backhoes (JCB), loaders and trailers. Before any equipment starts working, the operator fills its checklist. You then check every point and sign it as the HSE officer.
Your signature means you verified it. If something goes wrong later, you are also responsible. Read every point carefully, and if something is faulty, write a comment so it is repaired or replaced.
3. Tower lights and night work
For night shifts, tower lights also have a checklist. The electrician or technician fills it, and you verify and sign it.
4. Drinking water for workers
In hot weather, drinking water is also the safety officer’s responsibility if there is no separate environmental officer. Check that the water is fit to drink and cool. Put a label on each water cooler showing when it was filled, the date and who filled it.
5. Housekeeping in the lay-down area
The lay-down area is where materials are stored. Keeping it organized is your responsibility. You do not do it yourself; you get it done by assigning workers.
6. Barricading and safety signs
Every work area must be properly barricaded with the relevant signs. For example, around an excavation, put up deep excavation and no entry signs on all sides, spaced so that anyone approaching from any direction can see them.
7. Flagman for equipment movement
Whenever heavy equipment moves from one place to another, for example between the mobilization area and the site, a flagman is a must. Checking that a flagman is present is your job.
8. Lifting gear certificates
Slings, shackles and all lifting gear must have valid third-party inspection certificates. If they do not, do not allow them to be used. If a client finds uncertified gear on site, the first question will be to you. Keep all records in both soft and hard copy.
9. Operator licenses and third-party stickers
- Check that every operator has a valid third-party (TUV) certificate and the required Saudi government license.
- Scan the third-party stickers on equipment to make sure they are genuine and valid. If expired, get them renewed.
10. Fire extinguisher inspection
Inspect all fire extinguishers: check the pressure gauge needle, the hose, the expiry date on the third-party sticker and the cylinder condition.
11. Mock drills and emergency awareness
Run small mock drills with workers: how to use a fire extinguisher, what to do if an incident happens, and where the assembly point is and what happens there. If you skip these and something goes wrong, every finger will point at you.
These are the main daily duties. In future lessons I will go deeper into each one. My aim is to share what I have learned in practice, so you do not get stuck in the same places I did. Read next: How to Become a Safety Officer in Saudi Arabia.