Circle Safety Officer

Role Overview

The Circle Safety Officer (CSO) serves as the primary authority for workplace safety governance within Bharti Airtel’s circle operations, which encompass offices, technical sites, and contractor engagements. This role ensures the implementation of safety policies, compliance with statutory mandates, readiness for ISO 45001/14001 audits, incident management, risk mitigation, and fostering a safety-conscious culture.

Scope and Stakeholders

• Reporting to Circle Leadership and Central Safety Governance teams.
• Responsible for all Airtel facilities and operations within the circle, including third-party contractor activities.
• Collaborates with Security, Facility, Network, Operations, Safety Committee, HR, Legal, Supplier Management, Central Safety, auditors, and statutory bodies.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead implementation of Airtel’s safety governance framework and statutory compliance.
• Evaluate and enforce safety protocols; provide training and mentor teams to uphold safety standards.
• Coordinate risk-based safety audits and support internal, customer, and regulatory audits including ISO 45001/14001.
• Manage risk assessments and compliance tracking; incorporate safety in facility design and handovers.
• Supervise incident reporting, investigations, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and medical treatment coordination.
• Conduct proactive safety audits and site visits minimum thrice monthly; escalate repeated safety violations.
• Drive Occupational Health & Safety programs including induction, refresher trainings, and awareness sessions ensuring maximum employee participation.
• Monitor PPE usage and safety controls; promptly handle workplace hazards and health/safety concerns.
• Contribute Occupational Health and Safety inputs for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR).
• Ensure fire safety compliance including detection systems, alarms, suppression mechanisms, and evacuation readiness.
• Coordinate with emergency services and conduct fire drills; lead continuous improvement including system modernization.
• Lead circle safety communications, employee engagement, and reporting initiatives.
• Maintain training materials aligned with governance policies and manage Circle Safety Committee activities and records to ensure audit readiness.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate degree mandatory; advanced diploma or post-graduate qualifications in Safety, Occupational Health, Environmental Engineering, or related fields preferred.
• Certified Lead Auditor for ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 (CQI-IRCA) preferred; NEBOSH certification advantageous.
• Experience in Occupational/EHS roles within telecom, infrastructure, manufacturing or services sectors desired.

Essential Skills

• In-depth knowledge of ISO 45001/14001 standards and statutory OHS/fire safety compliances.
• Proficiency in incident investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action management with a focus on effectiveness and timelines.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with capability to influence and ensure compliance across operations and partners.
• Excellent documentation, communication, and training development/delivery skills.
• Competence in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and experience with safety management portals and reporting systems.