Meet David, our QHSE and Facilities Manager!
With over 20 years of experience across a range of industries, David stepped into a QHSE role in 2015, and since then he has dedicated his attention to ensuring safe, secure, environmentally responsible, and healthy workplace practices. Having had previous experience supporting the offshore industry, two years ago David took the plunge and applied for the QHSE position at STR. David is an invaluable asset to our team and ensures our offering is delivered to the highest standards, adhering to all relevant QHSE standards and practices.
Sharing an insight into his career and how he ensures QHSE is prioritised across the group, here’s what David had to say.
Can you tell us a bit about your career history and how it has contributed to the progression into your current position?
I’ve had previous experience within several industries working from pharmaceutical analytical laboratories to quayside operations. My first venture into HSE activities was working for a survey company and seconded into an advisor role. From there, I completed my NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health), became an HSE advisor for both onshore and offshore operations and after a few years, I wanted to further my academic achievements by embarking on a Diploma in Occupational HSE.
In previous roles I was responsible for multiple sites which has aided me, along with my expertise and experience, in undertaking my global remit at STR.
With extensive experience in health, safety and compliance roles, how do you ensure QHSE is prioritised across the business?
As a QHSE professional, my role is to ensure that these activities are viewed as a priority for STR and all its staff and as my primary function within the business, it gets my full attention. QHSE is a common discussion point in meetings across the business, with monthly updates given to the Board, management, and staff. I also support teams across the business; remaining accessible to differing working environments and engaging in conversation to identify potential improvements, areas of concern as well as the health and wellbeing of our employees.
A key aspect of my role is ensuring all new starts undertake a comprehensive QHSE induction, allowing me to introduce and explain STR’s core values and QHSE standards.
Leading QHSE activity in the group, can you outline a few strategies that are being implemented to ensure QHSE targets are being met?
Within STR, my aim is to make QHSE easily accessible to encourage engagement. We have recently introduced an online reporting system for safety observations to which all staff are encouraged to use this facility to report anything they think may be unsafe or potential ideas for improvement.
We’ve improved our means of auditing, adopting a more efficient platform, which is app based. This allows for pictures to be captured during audits for documentation, which increases the effectiveness of the process whilst also improving the evidence submitted to auditors.
By encouraging my colleagues to be involved in QHSE management, these updated systems have allowed us to use one system throughout the group; providing improved reporting and insights.
In light of STR’s recent ISO certifications for its UK facilities, what do you think this reflects about STR’s management standards?
Obtaining the three ISO standards (ISO: 14001, ISO: 14005, and ISO: 9001), first in our Great Yarmouth facility and more recently in Aberdeen, is a positive reflection on both the internal and external practices of the company.
To achieve multi-standard certification is not only a testament to STR’s management system but reflects the stringent compliance that is evident across each of its practices, processes and operations carried out by staff on a day-to-day basis across the entire group.
