Head of Safety based at Dabaspeth Bangalore

Job Description:

Key Responsibilities
6.1. Safety Department Build-Out & Leadership
• Establish org structure, reporting lines, KPIs, governance framework, and hiring
roadmap
• Set and own measurable leading indicators (near-miss reporting rate, PTW
compliance, training completion, drill frequency) reported to Directors monthly
• Build a culture where every engineer and technician has the authority and
confidence to raise safety concerns without fear of reprisal
• Represent safety at Engineering Design Reviews, test readiness reviews,
PDR/CDR gates, and design change boards
6.2. Process Safety & Risk Management
• Participate in HAZOP studies for the test stand, propellant storage, and launch
pad P&IDs as a safety reviewer —ensure deviations, recommendations, and
close-out status are reflected in safety controls
• Participate in QRA, consequence modelling, and explosion hazard studies; apply
the outputs to define exclusion zone radii and blast wall specifications
• Contribute safety requirements to SIL assignment, functional safety requirements
specification, and proof-test schedules for SIS functions (test stand, pad);
• Review all engineering design changes (MOC) that affect propellant flow paths,
containment, venting, pressurisation, or ignition sources — HSE safety review is a
hard gate
• Establish and maintain a site Hazard Register — all hazards scored with
likelihood / severity / controls; reviewed semi-annually
6.3. Inerting, Purging & Safe Isolation
• Write and own all propellant system inerting and purging procedures — pre-chill
nitrogen purge, post-test GN2 purge, O2 monitor confirmation, maintenance-safe
isolation checklist
• Define minimum O2 concentration confirmation criteria before any confined-space
entry into purged systems
• Specify and commission the dedicated GN2 inerting manifold; verify flow rates,
pressure, and O2 monitor interlocks before first propellant use

• Ensure no maintenance or inspection work begins on any propellant-
wetted component without a completed inerting confirmation record and a valid

confined-space PTW
6.4. Hot-Fire Test Safety — Pre-Test, During, Post-Test
• Prepare and own the HSE block of the Test Readiness Review (TRR) checklist —
no test campaign progresses to propellant loading without written HSE clearance
• Define and enforce exclusion zones (personnel, vehicles, structures) — zone radii
derived from QRA thermal radiation and overpressure contours, updated for each

thrust level
• Personally present or designate a senior safety officer as the HSE controller on
console during all hot-fire tests
• Ensure ESD is armed, gas detectors confirmed operational, fire suppression in
standby, ERT at muster, and communications verified before propellant loading
commences
• Lead post-test secure-down: propellant systems purged and inerted; facility
declared safe before general access is restored; post-test inspection of stand
structure and blast walls
• Maintain a test-day hazard control log — deviation from any pre-test safety
condition triggers an operations hold
6.5. Manufacturing & Facility Safety
• Oversee all factory safety: machinery guarding, LOTO procedures, crane/hoist
inspection schedule, PTW for hot work, confined space, and working at heights
• Own the inspection schedule for all lifting accessories (slings, shackles, spreader
bars) — colour-coded quarterly certification, no quarantine-tagged equipment in
use
• Ensure all electrical equipment in hazardous-area-classified zones is Ex-rated
(ATEX / IECEx / BIS IS 2148) and documented on the area classification drawing
• Manage contractor HSE induction, daily toolbox talks, and HSE performance
monitoring; recommend contractor exclusion where safety is compromised
• Ensure static bonding and grounding integrity at all propellant transfer points —
quarterly resistance testing, <10 Ω to earth, log maintained
6.6. Emergency Response — Command, Readiness, Training
• Act as Incident Commander for all site emergencies until handed over to civil
authorities — command post location, radio protocol, and chain of command
defined and drilled

• Maintain an Emergency Response Team (ERT) of ≥4 SCBA-qualified, cryogenic-
rescue-trained first responders per shift at all propellant-handling sites

• Ensure fire truck / tender is in service, staffed, and driver-trained at all
times during test operations; quarterly maintenance log submitted to Head of
Safety
• Operate a dedicated emergency communication system (radio + PA + siren) with
a tested backup; site-wide alarm audible at all personnel locations confirmed at
commissioning
• Maintain muster point accountability within 2 minutes of alarm; headcount protocol
to HSE controller within 5 minutes
• Run quarterly full-evacuation drills; bi-annual HAZMAT/cryogenic-release
simulation with post-drill hot wash and mandatory CAPA tracker
• Maintain a 24 × 7 emergency contact tree — Head of Safety, site safety officers,
company directors, statutory emergency helpline, local fire station, nearest
hospital / trauma centre

6.7. Launch Pad & Field Campaign Safety
• Prepare a Campaign-Specific Safety Plan (CSSP) for every launch or integration
campaign — approved by Directors and submitted to range/pad authority before
mobilisation
• Define pad exclusion zones for LOX loading, LCH4 loading, and fuelled vehicle
for each campaign; enforce with physical barriers and radio-controlled access
• Coordinate with range safety authority (ISRO/SDSC-SHAR, or private pad)
— submit Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA), emergency response co-ordination
agreement, and propellant quantities declaration
• Ensure firefighting readiness (deluge arm-test, water availability, foam stock) and
medical readiness (paramedic, ambulance, trauma kit) are confirmed before any
propellant loading
• Lead post-launch site recovery — verification of residual propellant disposal,
system safeing, structural inspection, and personnel de-brief
6.8. Permit-to-Work Authority
• Head of Safety is the issuing and closing authority for high-risk PTWs: hot work
near flammable propellants, confined space entry, LOTO on high-energy systems,
critical lift (>5 t or above personnel), and any propellant system operation (fill,
transfer, pressurisation, vent)
• Maintain a live PTW register — all open permits visible to HSE controller at all
times
• No PTW may be issued without a completed pre-job risk assessment and toolbox
talk record
6.9. Compliance, Licensing & Regulatory Interface
• Support and track all statutory licences and approvals required before each facility
phase opens — gas cylinder/LOX licence, Factory Inspector clearance, fire NOC,
pollution control consent — with licence applications and ownership held by the
responsible engineering / operations function
• Notify the appropriate authority of MAH (Major Accident Hazard) threshold
inventory status per MSIHC Rules 1989; contribute to the On-Site Major Accident
Prevention policy and document (MAPP / OSMP)
• Ensure all pressure vessels are IBR-registered and hydro-tested on
schedule; maintain vessel log books
• Ensure all hazardous area electrical equipment carries valid BIS IS 2148 or
ATEX/IECEx certification; no unapproved substitution
• Participate in all regulatory audits and inspections; track closure of observations
within stipulated timelines; provide Directors with written status

6.10. Training, Competency & Safety Culture
• Develop and deliver a propellant handler training programme — mandatory for all
staff who approach LOX/LNG/LN2/CNG/GOX/GN2 systems: cryogenic hazards,
PPE, emergency action, asphyxiation response
• Run SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) competency checks for all ERT
members quarterly; certificate and re-qualification managed by HSE
• Deliver site-specific induction to every employee, contractor, and visitor before
first site access — records held by HSE document controller
• Produce an annual training needs analysis (TNA); present gaps and plan to
Directors quarterly

• Conduct toolbox talks before every high-risk operation; log attendance; use near-
miss learnings as teaching material

6.11. Incident Management & Continuous Improvement
• Lead reporting, investigation, and closure of all incidents, near-misses, unsafe
conditions, unsafe acts, and process deviations
• Apply a structured root-cause analysis tool (SCAT, TapRooT, or equivalent) for all
LTI, MTI, and high-potential near-misses
• Maintain a CAPA tracker with due dates; escalate overdue items to Directors
monthly
• Report leading and lagging safety KPIs to Directors monthly; present trend
analysis and improvement actions quarterly