Fabric of success

Rewarding path

Chandrasekhar has already experienced a lot as an occupational safety and health practitioner. His career has taken in large-scale infrastructure projects in the UAE and stints in high-risk sectors such as mining, oil and gas, and power generation.

It’s easy to see that Chandrasekhar is a passionate and hard-working member of the profession. He enjoys the variety and problem-solving challenges of his role.

“Knowing that the systems, protocols and training I put in place keep people safe and prevent serious injuries or fatalities is incredibly fulfilling,” said Chandrasekhar.

“There’s something powerful about going home at the end of the day knowing that workers returned safely to their families because of the work I do.

“When injury rates drop, near misses decrease, or audits show improvement, it’s a direct reflection of your hard work. Seeing those measurable improvements in safety performance is hugely validating.”

Breaking barriers

Chandrasekhar picks out communication as one of the key skills needed from an occupational safety and health professional.

One of his biggest challenges, but one he turned into an opportunity, was overcoming language and cultural barriers to maintain a strong safety culture. He said: “Working with a diverse workforce with multiple nationalities, languages and varying levels of safety awareness, resulted in frequent misunderstandings during toolbox talks and gaps in hazard reporting. This posed a serious risk to site safety.”

How did he face this challenge? “With a multilingual safety communication strategy. This included translating key safety documents and signage into the primary languages spoken on-site and delivering safety briefings using visual aids and interpreters where necessary. Culturally sensitive safety workshops and safety ambassadors from each nationality group enhanced safety performance.”

He also knows that, beyond statistics and procedures, being a trusted leader is vital, and pays dividends.

“When employees feel comfortable coming to you with concerns or ideas, you know you’ve created a space where safety is a shared responsibility,” he added. “That trust goes a long way in fostering a strong safety culture.”

Career partner for life

Chandrasekhar credits IOSH as a “game-changer” for his career. From his early experiences with our Managing Safely course to the “passion, contribution and outstanding dedication” needed to achieve each new IOSH membership grade. He joined in 2020, progressed to Certified membership in 2023 and his next target is becoming Chartered.

Being a part of the IOSH community has great value for Chandrasekhar. He serves as committee member for the South Cumbria Branch and attends all their events. He credits the branch as a “source of innovative ideas and collaborative opportunities.”

Chandrasekhar values IOSH’s resources and knowledge and has used them to support with:

• introducing “cutting-edge” approaches to risk assessment, safety audits and hazard management
• integrating health and wellbeing strategies
• managing physical and psychological risks together, and
• introducing mental health first aiders.

He knows that membership will continue to help him achieve his ambitions.

“I’ve seen many success stories where someone started as a safety officer and climbed up to become a manager or even a consultant, thanks to the support and recognition that IOSH provides,” he added.

Aim high

So, what’s next for Chandrasekhar? He hopes achieving Chartership will be a springboard for future challenges. And, while happy to keep developing in his current role, Chandrasekhar’s ambition is to become a safety, health and environment (SHE) manager or safety director. This is so he “can travel to different countries and have the opportunity to learn about diverse cultures and safety legislation.”

He’s keen to help guide the future of the profession, too. “Passing on knowledge and mentoring newer safety professionals or front-line leaders brings a different kind of satisfaction,” he said.

“Watching someone you’ve guided grow into a strong safety advocate or professional is a proud moment.”