HSE Career

How to start your career as SHO?
You want to become a HSE Practitioner? Don’t worry if you don’t know how to start your career in the HSE field. Maybe you had asked you colleagues or any other expert in this industry but maybe you still cannot find the answers.
Where to start?
We always heard that people said, “A thousand journeys were beginning with a single step”. So now set your destination and find out where and when is your first step.
First option
The first option if you want to join this industry from the work experienced. You may work as a Site Safety Supervisor and may promote to Safety Officer. But the chances are very slim.
What is your destination or goal?
Different person have a different goal in their career. They are some people who want to work inside they own country because of their own reason maybe the family, environment and etc. But some people may desire to work internationally.
If your target is within Malaysia market, so my advised to those who want to join the HSE career, you may go through the Safety and Health Officer Course. This course is conduct by NIOSH Malaysia, Mina Resources, and other authorized training centre. The fulltime course is conducted 23 days. There are modular course also conduct part time in weekend for 23 days. After you attend the course you may seat for the NIOSH examination and under practice minimum 3 years before you can register with DOSH Malaysia to get the “Green Book”.
If you eyeing an internationally market, then you should take NEBOSH course. One of the authorized NEBOSH training centres in Malaysia is Kolej Fajar. After attended the course you may seat for the NEBOSH examination and get the certified directly from UK NEBOSH. Once you get the NEBOSH you may work nationwide and worldwide.
Other option?
The another choice is you may attend the Diploma or Executive Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health from local university such as Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Open University and Universiti Utara Malaysia. For school leaver you may apply the safety Diploma level for occupational course from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Who can attend the course?
For Malaysian, nowadays both NEBOSH and NIOSH candidates must have minimum SPM/MCE qualification.
What is the career prospect?
After completion the course, the candidate may work as Safety Supervisor for a few months or year to gain the experienced. But there are some luckily candidate may appoint as Safety Officer as well. That is not the end of the career, it just a beginning. From Safety Officer or HSE Officer, you may promote to HSE Coordinator, HSE Engineer, HSE Manager depending on your work experienced and qualification you have.
What industries need safety?
Basically all industries need the occupational safety in their organization. But according to OSHA, they are such manufacturing, mining, construction, ship building and etc. Definitely in oil and gas industry, HSE is the most top priority in their business.
How much I earn?
There is no specific answer for the question. For freshie candidate, they might be able to earn below than RM3000 / month depend on the industry. But some of the freshie are lucky and get paid higher than that and able to earn even USD500/day. No one can predict how much they can earn, just a matter of time and when is it come. But roughly for oil and gas industry for Malaysia market you might be able to earn not less than RM24K per annum depend on your position, experience and qualification. For international market you may earn USD60K and above per annum.
How much you have to invest?
Back to your personnel goal, the investment is depending on which courses you want to attend. For Certificate in SHO from NIOSH the course fee roughly RM4600.00 excluded examination fee. For NEBOSH certificate, it cost you roughly RM7000.00
Need more information?
If you want to be HSE Practitioner and don’t know how to start, please do not hesitate to contact me for more details. You may email to me at hse4hire@yahoo.com