Who is Fabian Stephan Buckley?

Introduction

Fabian Stephan Buckley is an internationally renowned Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security (SHES) professional with more than 21 years of experience in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) across various countries. He is a proven leader in large construction operations and has developed expertise across several industries. Buckley has established himself as a specialist in safety management and education, having been contracted as a consultant by AUDA NEPAD to train numerous government inspectors from the mining, health, and labour departments within the SADC region.

Additionally, Buckley is the author of various articles and is collaborating with technologically advanced organizations to develop groundbreaking applications and software that are set to revolutionize the SHES space internationally.

Early Career and Education

Fabian Stephan Buckley began his career in safety as a junior safety officer for one of South Africa’s largest contractors, Murray & Roberts. His leadership skills became apparent early on, and he was quickly promoted to Safety Practitioner, managing his own team of safety officers on fast-paced projects.

He later joined DRA Global Limited, making a strong impact in the mining sector as it integrated with the construction industry. Buckley was subsequently headhunted by HMG Joint Venture, which managed all Transnet projects related to rail and harbour widening and deepening. He excelled in every project, demonstrating strong team-player qualities.

He moved on to manage international projects with EPC Aveng, where he was given his first opportunity to lead a project outside South Africa, a role he performed successfully. His project work has taken him to countries such as Zambia, Ghana, Congo, Madagascar, Namibia, Mozambique, the Kingdom of Lesotho, Malawi, Singapore, India, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

He has worked for Murray & Roberts, DRA, Mott MacDonald, Aveng, Linde Engineering, Wetback, IWC, African Union, Vedanta Zinc Intl., Worley, Nesma & Partners and Samsung C&T.

Buckley holds the NEBOSH International Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety and is currently pursuing his MBA through WOOLF Malta University and Exeed College. He is a SACPCMP registered construction health and safety manager. Buckley’s approach to managing extreme construction environments includes system implementation, hazard identification, and accident investigation, and he has successfully led teams of up to 13,500 workers and 300+ SHES personnel across various projects.

Notable Career Highlights

Buckley’s career has spanned diverse industries such as energy and construction. He was appointed Corporate HSE Manager for Linde Engineering in South Africa, where he managed all of their projects within the oil and gas sector.

He has proven on numerous occasions that he can turn any organisation and project around through his different leadership approach and persistence.

Today, Buckley serves as the Director of WIB Construction & Safety and also Deputy SHES Manager at Samsung’s Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, overseeing a mega construction project with over 6,000 employees, multiple contractors, and 300 direct staff. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping a strong safety culture on the site, ensuring that safety expectations are consistently met.

He has contributed to some of the most intricate industrial and construction projects globally, with notable clients such as Qatar Energy LNG, Sasol, Anglo American, Goldfields, Impala, Diriyah Company, EllisDon, Shomoul, Aecom, and Pace.

Leadership and Safety Training

Beyond his daily responsibilities, Fabian Buckley is dedicated to fostering a culture of safety through education and leadership. He adopts a coaching management approach that emphasizes leadership, employee engagement, and continuous improvement. Buckley sees safety as more than just a system—it's a way of life and an unwavering culture. As a safety coach, article writer, author, blogger, and master class instructor, he is committed to imparting this philosophy to others.

He is also a member of the Construction Health and Safety Technical Committee, set up by South Africa’s Department of Employment and Labour, and is involved in revising the 2014 Construction Regulations.

Bringing in the Fun Factor in Occupational Health & Safety

Buckley has developed a fun, innovative, and interactive approach to safety education through practical demonstrations that resonate with employees long after they’ve participated. His signature initiative, "Imagine It’s Gone," challenges workers to imagine their lives without key faculties—such as sight, hearing, or the use of their hands or legs—through simulated tasks like eating with their fingers taped.

These exercises are fun and competitive, but the message is clear: how drastically would your life change if you lost a body part? This thought-provoking method has left a lasting impact on employees, with many recalling these demonstrations years later.

Designing & Consulting Original Projects

Buckley has pioneered new safety initiatives through his consulting work. ??? His digital projects include a gamified safety application that brings in fun ways of learning through various games, etc. Another application that takes you through all the various steps to manage a project correctly and is a cheat code for any safety professional. Conducting cold eye reviews to identify aspects that everyone in your business has been overlooking. He creates excellent safety culture surveys, customized safety workshops aimed at improving safety standards in various industries. His knack for identifying problems and suggesting effective initiatives has brought about meaningful cultural changes in many organizations.

Most recently, Buckley has been involved in developing online training courses for safety officers and managers, including a comprehensive course titled “How to Compile a SHE File.” These courses are considered game-changers in helping professionals manage safety projects effectively and at the highest standard.

Thought Leadership and Publications

Fabian Stephan Buckley is a respected thought leader in the OHS field, frequently contributing articles and delivering talks on safety topics, with a particular focus on the future of safety in the digital age. His critical perspective on behavior-based safety (BBS) has garnered attention for highlighting the flaws in focusing solely on individual behaviour without addressing systemic safety issues.

He is currently working on a book about behavior-based safety, which will combine stories from his career with a critical analysis of traditional safety methods, advocating for an alternative safety coaching approach.

Conclusion

Fabian Stephan Buckley remains a driving force in the SHES industry, continually elevating safety culture through leadership, education, and innovation. His combination of experience, knowledge, and leadership makes him an indispensable resource in construction and safety management.

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If you are seriously looking to make a change within your organization, and you want someone who can assist your team make a 180 degree turn around in your organization.

He is the person you need Contact him today.

Contact him for all your SHES consulting needs [email protected]

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