Aberdeen-based HSE and training consultancy Integrity HSE has taken another major step in its growth journey.
Steven Harris, the company’s Managing Director, said “The purpose of Integrity HSE is to make the working world a safer, healthier, and more sustainable place for all. In 2023, we worked hard to bring our offering to market and I am proud to say our clients tell us we have subsequently established ourselves as the premier provider of efficient, effective, innovative, and sustainable ‘safety’ solutions within the UKCS energy industry”.
This meteoric rise has been driven in no small part by Darrell Lines, who joined the organisation in May 2023 as the Director of Safety & Risk Management. Mr Lines made a huge impact by leveraging his internationally renowned reputation for delivering excellence with a wide network and strong industry relationships to land some significant contract wins for the company. In the last 6 months, this has seen the company help deliver projects for supermajors and tier 1 drilling contractors within Denmark, The Netherlands, and Norway.
Mr Lines said “We have built a strong brand, and the market now recognises us as the go-to answer for all their business and project safety needs. We are currently working with a select group of clients to control risk in their organisation in a range of ways. Integrity HSE also acts as an outsourced HSE department for several smaller organisations based in Aberdeen. These are firms that are involved in high-hazard industries but need access to the best HSE support, but perhaps cannot afford to employ full-time HSE personnel. Our solution is a scalable and cost-effective service which gives our clients access to the best HSE support as and when they need it”.
In October, Integrity HSE built upon their strong foundations by taking the next step in its journey by launching its health business, which compliments Mr Line’s safety division perfectly. Mr Harris said, “The time was right to grow the business again, and we wanted to do that in the mental health and wellbeing space. We know that there is so much needless suffering being endured by workers in almost every organisation because of preventable conditions which can be addressed at the worksite. This meant we needed to find a competent medical professional, who also understood our client’s commercial context”.
As a result of a comprehensive search, Integrity HSE appointed Shabnum Hanif as their Director of Clinical Psychology at the beginning of October. Ms Hanif joins Integrity HSE with years of clinical experience working in a private hospital in Edinburgh alongside some of the world’s leading mental health specialists. Later in her career, following a move to Aberdeen, she then entered the energy industry and has held several Director level roles in organisations such as Fugro and Ocean Infinity.
Ms Hanif commented, “I am passionate about helping people and Integrity HSE has given me a great opportunity to guide our clients and enjoy the benefits of a healthy and productive workforce. Although there are clearly good intentions within the energy industry, many organisations lack the specialist medical competence to ensure that they get the most out of their efforts. Fundamentally, we don’t know what we don’t know. At Integrity HSE, we do it all, from helping organisations create and implement a coherent strategy to supplying on-site qualified counsellors”.
Mr Harris warns, “We are delighted to be able to bring Shabnum’s competence to the market. In the same way as you would not have someone with a physical illness or disease that worked for you treated by a well-meaning HSE professional, the equivalent is also true in terms of mental health. With that in mind, when looking for external mental health support, please reassure yourself of their competence”.
The creation of the health business has also been bolstered by Integrity HSE moving into their Queen’s Road offices where they have taken the ground floor and basement of a beautiful townhouse. Whilst the basement has been turned into a private clinic for those requiring off-site treatment by Ms Hanif’s team, the ground floor is used as a training floor for another part of this growing business’s offering.
Mr Harris told us, “Integrity HSE is the only training provider in Scotland licensed by both the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH) and International Institute of Risk & Safety Management (IIRSM). This has seen us work with a large amount of domestic and overseas clients, ranging from hospitals to wind farms, including the world’s second largest company by revenue based in Damman, Saudi Arabia. There is still demand for face-to-face training delivered by industry experts”.
However, the area of training which has seen the greatest interest has been that of leadership, especially related to the Principles of Process Safety Leadership. This is thought to be due to a push by the regulator within the UKCS, as well as industry organisations organically realising the business and operational benefits of pairing soft skills with technical competency. This has led to Integrity HSE facilitating several leadership ‘away days’ and workshops for clients throughout Aberdeen and Shire.
If you want to learn more about Integrity HSE then you can visit their website at www.integrityhse.com or contact them directly at enquiries@integrityhse.co.uk If you have immediate mental health concerns then the Samaritans offer support day or night, 365 days a year. There is always help, no matter how dark life appears. You can call them for free on 116 123 or email at jo@samaritans.org.