When does it make sense to hire a Safety Manager
In complex or unconventional projects, the role of Safety Manager reinforces the preventive management of the developer and project management. It does not replace the Health and Safety Coordinator (HSE), but works in parallel with management and the HSE itself to ensure that health and safety requirements are implemented in the field and in daily site documentation.
This function is particularly suitable for special projects (due to their size or scope), batch projects with multiple contractors, and interventions within centres in use — shopping centres, factory extensions, operating hospitals or active stadiums — where coordination becomes critical.
Main duties of a Safety Manager
The typical scope combines documentary work, operational coordination, and on-site verification.
Before start-up, advise on establishing procedures for controlling health and safety documentation for companies and workers, as well as protocols for reviewing work equipment and auxiliary resources.
During implementation, it drives the development of safe working procedures, promotes reviews of the Health and Safety Plan or the Preventive Management Document when units, equipment or procedures change, and verifies compliance with these plans in the field. He also attends coordination meetings convened by the HSE, participates in kick-off meetings with contractors’ prevention resources to align permits and formats, and advises on key conditions:
- use of PPE
- collective protections
- signage
- hygiene and care facilities
- accesses and fencing
- fire protection
- order and cleanliness
- safe use of equipment and auxiliary means.
Incident Management and Safety Manager Reporting
When an accident or incident occurs, the Safety Manager ensures that it is investigated, advises the client and makes recommendations for improvement. In addition, it supports the training and induction of workers and documents their performance through reports to the client at agreed intervals — per visit, daily or weekly — so that decisions are tracked and auditable.
Value of the Safety Manager
The practical value for developers, construction companies, engineering firms, and project managers is threefold:
- anticipation (integrating preventive solutions from the outset to improve planning and reduce rework),
- compliance (technical presence on site that improves operational discipline and speeds up corrections)
- connection (in batch works, act as a link between management, CSS and contractors for consistent results).
Limitations and operational realism of the Safety Manager
The Safety Manager is not a legal ‘wild card’ or a substitute for the obligations of contractors or the CSS; their effectiveness depends on adequate dedication (through visits or full-time work), the support of the project management team, and the fact that any non-conformities detected are transformed into construction decisions. Nor does it replace CAE or document management tools; it complements them, closing the loop between ‘paper’ and the field, which is especially useful if integrated with the client’s document exchange platforms.
How to gauge the commitment of the Safety Manager
The need arises when several contractors are working in parallel, there are frequent changes in procedures or equipment, critical phases involving users (centres in service) or a high level of risk due to techniques or deadlines. In these scenarios, expanding field presence and reporting frequency provides immediate returns in terms of risk control and work continuity.
Deliverables and working methods
It is advisable to agree from the outset on the list of field observations, document review milestones, attendance at key meetings, and report format (including responsible parties, photographic evidence, and deadlines). The periodic report must include incidents, measures taken and progress on commitments, bringing CSS, the developer and contractors together on a single control panel.
Benefits of the Safety Manager
The main advantage is reducing the gap between what is planned and what happens every day on site, with measurable improvements in compliance with the Health and Safety Plan or the Preventive Management Document and in the coordination of concurrent activities. In works in progress, advise in order to avoid interference with the operation of the centre and improve the perception of safety among workers, users and property owners.
What to demand from the Safety Manager provider
Experience in construction, judgement in advising on the adaptation of procedures, ability to mediate with contractors, and rigour in document traceability.
If you want to ensure that your project complies with all necessary health and safety requirements, please contact us. We can assist you both in the project phase and in the implementation phase.
