The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced two new director appointments.

Tony Hetherington will take up post as director of HSE Energy Division having filled the role left vacant when Susan Mackenzie became director of Hazardous Installations earlier this year.

Mike Cross will shortly move to be Director of Field Operations Directorate for Scotland and Northern England.

Hetherington joined HSE in 1986 and spent over ten years in the construction sector as a field inspector before working on the implementation of the original Construction, Design and Management (CDM) Regulations. He has worked in HID since 2010.

Speaking about his priorities for ED, he said: “We have effective strategies in place for all the sectors we regulate to address the main major accident potential of these industries. These approaches are agreed with industry and are gaining increasing traction. I’ll ensure we embed these approaches, that duty holders recognise their roles, take effective action to manage the risks they create and involve their workers.

“I want to ensure offshore operators get a grip on hydrocarbon releases and take a proper strategic approach to ensuring the long term integrity of their assets. Over half of offshore installations have exceeded their initial design life and ensuring they remain fit for service needs a long term integrated approach.”

Cross joined HSE in Newcastle in 1980 and has held a wide variety of posts spanning operations, strategy and policy work. He is currently HSE Head of Enforcement Policy.

Speaking about his new role, he said: “I want to match improvements we have achieved in safety with higher standards of occupational health management and I’m eager to work with partnership organisations to take effective action. I also want to ensure we continue to focus our efforts on those sectors and businesses unable or unwilling to manage the risks they create.”