hse life #1 uk version

1HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT MAGAZINE for Gas & Oil industry

July 2010

workplace cost?

What does a

page 4

and more...

In this number:

safe

THE HUMANFACTOR

8

8

DE MENSSPEAKING OFCOMMITMENT

34

“Het feit dat mensen informatie uitwisselen

en tot zich nemen, moet resulteren in een

blijvende motivatie én in doorvertaling van

resultaten binnen de eigen organisaties.”

commitment

35 JACK, THENORTH SEA COWBOY

15

de noordzeecowboy

Sjaak

15

ZEN ISPAYING ATTENTION

40

isAandachtig

Zijn

40

INTO THE POLDERWITH GAS STORAGE

20“De weg naar succes gaat

ALTIJD OVER ROZEN,

Met gasopslag de polder in

20

HSE – LIBIYA VS.THE NETHERLANDS

48HSENEDERLAND

Bewust omgaan met

veiligheid is onderdeel

van een universele cultuur

die, waar ook ter wereld,

hetzelfde doel nastreeft.

En, zoals overal, vergt dat

een zorgvuldige training.

HSE - LIBIË vs NEDERLAND49

BETWEEN ROBOT AND UNGUIDED MISSILEForeword

Somewhere between these two extremes must be every employer’s ideal employee personality.

Where can we find them? What we expect from our people is far from trivial. The expectations

extend beyond having the right education and training, and preferably include a healthy dose of

experience. What we really like to see is enthusiastic and committed people. People who have it in

them to safeguard themselves, their colleagues, the asset and the living and working environment

against damage of all kinds. People like that exist. Even before Darwin drew his conclusions, every

person had the innate ability to survive, whatever the circumstances. In these modern times the same

person sometimes needs help or guidance. After all, we are no longer pioneers. The purely technical

approach to safety is now long behind us. We now believe in procedures only if they are actually

observed. What then can we do to help raise alertness and awareness to new heights?

If anyone knows the answer, please speak up. We will be happy to provide a platform for sharing

insights in the HSEQ field, especially new ones. The industry owes it to itself not to allow the

fascinating and constructive aspects of its existence to be sullied by ‘events’ that could have been

prevented. As the well-known fire-fighter once said: a teaspoon of water in good time would have

been enough to put out every fire there has ever been.

On behalf of the THE WAT GROUP

Pier van Spronsen

Anyone who thinks that investing in safety is

expensive should stop and think about the

costs involved in an incident. Anyone doing

so will accept that the costs of safety are

outweighed by the devastating suffering that

incidents entail.

THE VERY FACT THAT SOME THINGS

ARE IRREVERSIBLE MEANS THAT EVERY

EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO AVOID

THEM.

workplacecost

safeWhat does a 4

workplaceA catastrophe like the one in the Gulf of Mexico causes us to reflect

on the impact of serious incidents. In this connection we are often

asked whether Warffum still occupies people’s minds. The answer is

a resounding ‘yes’. On 31 May 2010 we remembered the victims of

the accident that occurred five years ago to the day. What went wrong

there should not have happened, and was entirely preventable. This

incident was not the only one with tragic consequences in our history.

There were others, certainly in our early years. But... who remembers

them now?

Thoughts still turn to Warffum

A DISASTER IS A DISASTER

5WHAT DOES A SAFE WORKPLACE COST?

The will to We know that it is pointless to keep raking up memories of every

incident and accident. However, we make an exception for Warffum.

The story is told as a standard part of the induction of new employees.

EVERYONE IS SHOCKED WHEN THEY HEAR WHAT HAPPENED,

BUT THE TRUE HORROR CAN ONLY BE FELT BY THOSE

WHO WERE ACTUALLY

For this very reason, we are still following up on the issues raised by

this incident. As an organisation we have to be willing to learn the

lessons involved.

THERE.

This is why we continue to invest in safety. Safety is a

subject that affects everyone and for which everyone

is responsible.

Our first aim was to make available clear information

material, with factual practical ‘translations’ of

procedures and work instructions, tailored to

specific target groups. We are now focusing on

the implementation and embedding of the ideas in

everyday practice. A good example is the website

(www.a-way-of-living.info). This is outside Shell’s

domain, and is therefore freely accessible to all.

Sharing information in this way has already been of

great value to our contractors.

AT ALL LEVELS we present a very tangible interpre-

tation of the lessons learned from the incident in Warffum.


In your organisation, do you sometimes feel as though your ideas about safety fall on deaf ears?

Why not voice them here then? (Anonymously, if you prefer) Respond

With ‘A way of living’

http://www.a-way-of-living.info

http://www.thewatgroup.com/feedback

AT ALL LEVELS

Despite all efforts, incidents still happen. People still seem

insufficiently aware of the risks and hazards in the process

environment. These do not only affect individual safety,

but also the safety of the process. The important point,

therefore, is to teach people to identify and recognise risks

on the actual workplace. Facilitating discussion will make it

easier to deal with these hazards and, as a consequence, to

manage risk.

which will cover topical events in the immediate working

environment. By also providing links with the associated

control measures, we will also be able to put a specific

incident into a broader context. And, more importantly,

we can create awareness and alertness before an incident

happens.

Piet van Dam

HSE Manager NAM

EVERYTHING IN CONTEXT

We are therefore following up ‘A way of living’with ‘Spot the hazard’,


8

TheHUMAN

HUMAN9

FACTOROwners take infinitely better care of their property

than arbitrary users. So, if you want to avoid

incidents, does it follow that you should make

everyone owner of the process they belong to?

OWNERSHIP

100%IS A MATTER OF

10THE HUMAN FACTOR

It is taken for granted that the people who work in our

industry are also aware of the risks and know how to handle

them. Nonetheless, news and rumours of incidents reach

us often, despite all the knowledge and know-how we have

accumulated. We once thought we had engineered out all the

hazards. It then became apparent that capturing everything

in procedures is unattainable, and putting blind faith in our

management systems maybe unwise. Ultimately it all comes

back to where it all started: THE PEOPLE who made

and are still making oil and gas exploration and production into

an industry.

11THE HUMAN FACTOR

It is accepted as fact

that working in our

industry involves risks.

MISSING LINK

FINISHED OR NOT?

On the other hand, if you happen to know that something really serious can

go wrong, with an enormous impact on everything and everyone, surely

that itself will make you – to put it mildly – cautious? The word leaves little

to be desired in terms of clarity. But why then is it so often the case that an

incident has to happen before people change their attitudes? What is the

missing link that can put you one step ahead at that precise time?

BUT… WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME?

‘Ownership’ is a term that is frequently heard in this context. Ownership,

arising from the responsibilities that someone in a given function or capacity

is simply deemed to assume. In brief, make a person the owner of a procedure

and he will adhere to it. The idea sounds logical, but it immediately raises

a question. When should you give someone responsibilities? From one day

to the next? This would be good, but preferably when the organisation is

ready for the change.

THE HUMAN FACTOR12

GREEN IS BRIGHT RED

Step by step would appear to be the best way. Indicators can

point in the right direction, but they are not foolproof. Owners

have been known to neglect their property. Incidents have

occurred even though all the KPIs were green. You might then

ask yourself whether you were monitoring the right indicators,

or whether it might be time to worry about others. An owner

can also lose his fresh or objective outlook, or even fall into

complacency. How important this can be is reiterated every

time we have an audit performed. This is why you should

never take a step too quickly where ‘ownership’ is concerned.

THE HUMAN FACTOR13

THE SOLUTIONIdentifying which indicators are actually

relevant must come from constant

worry, being constantly alert and

regularly evaluating or reviewing the

indicators involved. This means having

one hundred per cent insight and

understanding in the organisation about

‘plant’, ‘process’ and ‘people’.

No more, no less.

Ronald Pijtak is HSEQ Manager for Centrica Energy Upstream (Hoofddorp)

THE HUMAN FACTOR

What do you think when you read this article? What are your experiences in this

field? In your opinion, what should be added to the article? Respond

14


the North Sea cowboy

Jack

15

Today we are in the small town of Buinen to talk to Jack Drost (73 jaar), a former Offshore worker.We catch up with him in the local pub called‘The Black Swan’. My cameraman removes a motorised scooter chair parked across the entrance so we can get in.

It is a small, traditional establishment with a

billiard table in the centre. A woman seated at the

end of the long, wooden bar doesn’t look up when we

come in, not even when I trip over one of the camera

cables.

16

The proprietor is behind the bar drying some glasses. Opposite

sits a man with a somewhat crooked spine. That must be Jack.

I head for the bar and stand next to the man: “Hello, you must

be Jack Drost.”. He continues his conversation with the barman

“Yes lad, they’re a bunch of pansies. Things were different in

my time. Did I tell you about that time....” The barman gestures

to me to speak louder. I shout out “Mr Drost?”. He interrupts

his story and turns to face me. I hold out my hand, in vain.

“You’re that brat from that TV programme, aren’t you?”. His

dark glasses stop me seeing his eyes. “Yeahh lad, I am to be

on the telly,” he turns back to the barman. The barman doesn’t

answer, and continues drying the glasses.

JACK, THE NORTH SEA COWBOY17

Jack addresses the barman again

We’re not a feckin’ bunch of kids. Did I tell you about the night of the hurricane? Everything lay nearly still. Wybe, Cornelis and I were playing cards. I lost the damned game; I’d been dealt a lousy hand. It was my round so I went to get some more beer. I came down the stairs with the glasses in my hands. Now lad, you wouldn’t believe the feckin’ gust that hit us then. The entire platform shook. And I got thrown off those stairs, with beer and all. Landed right on my face. Glass everywhere; dislocated shoulder. Mind you, I could still get up and walk”. Jack pauses to clear his throat noisily. He gulps down some beer and continues his story in his gravelly voice. “That’s what I mean, I just carried on as usual.

“Pansies with all those rules... like holding on to the railing with one hand.

Not like those pansies who are to spend three weeks in intensive care every time they catch a cold.”


He looks straight ahead, clears his throat again and takes

another gulp of beer.... “I put the shoulder back myself.

So what if it kept popping out again while I was working.

I’ve really got the knack of putting it back by now.”

I notice that his shoulder seems to be hanging rather

limply by this side. He orders another beer and as he

reaches for his tobacco pouch I can see that he has two

fingers missing on his right hand. Taken aback, I ask “Jack,

did that happen at work?”, pointing at his hand. He turns

his head in my direction and says: “What?” He seems unable

to see my pointing finger. “Er... your hand....”. He raises

his right hand slightly. “Oh, that. What of it? As I am

fond of saying, you can’t always have everything at hand”

he jokes, and succumbs to a coughing fit. When the coughing

and laughter subside, he continues “Yes love, there’s a

damn fine tale behind that. I was busy hoisting a heavy load

and one of my mates wasn’t paying attention...”

-next time you can read about Jack’s hoisting adventure-

Jack Drostaka N.B.


“The road to success is like a

BED OF ROSES:

Into the polder with gas storage

20

BED OF ROSES:you have to watch out for the thorns.”

The Netherlands has everything in its favour to become

‘the gas hub of Europe’. The national government has

created the required framework in terms of both policy and

legislation. It is an awkward fact that, without great care, the

Dutch practice of making policy through seeking consensus

can generate countless arguments that wreak havoc on a

framework of this kind.

21

If you were to ask where our natural gas comes from, you are likely to be told ‘out of a tap’. And that sums up

perceptions: we want to have gas at our free disposal, but don’t want to know where it comes from. We in the

Netherlands are in a position of luxury in this respect. Since the discovery of natural gas on Dutch territory, ‘gas’ has

become taken for granted. However, the presumption of its presence is now less justified after decades of extraction.

Since the infrastructure for extraction and production is alreadyin place, the Dutch government started some years ago on positioningthe Netherlands as the logistics hub for handling gas streams.

A legal framework was created to allow the Netherlands to become ‘the gas hub of Europe’. One of the important

ideas behind the plans is the storage of natural gas in underground rock: in depleted gas fields. The worldwide

supply of natural gas is reasonably constant, although there are seasonal peaks and troughs in consumption, and

similar fluctuations in prices.

More and more reservoirs are

becoming depleted.

The thinking was and is that storing natural gas underground now will give the Netherlands a

permanent buffer of ample size.

THE ROAD TO SUCCES IS LIKE A...22

Achieving this aim will require existing gas extraction sites to be adapted for natural gas injection, storage and produc-

tion. A eminently suitable location for this purpose is two kilometres deep in the Bergermeer field, where TAQA Energy

is implementing the Bergermeer Gas Storage project. The Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs also attaches great

importance to this project. This is one of the most major projects undertaken in the Netherlands in both financial and

technical terms.

and will be one of the largest private investments in

the Netherlands.

The total investment will be 2.2 billion

euros,


An aim in the implementation will be to create the necessary infrastructure by sustainable and emission-neutral means.

There comprehensive specification of all project elements is intended to ensure transparency about the expected

impacts. The same applies to the relevant environmental aspects in the area where the work is to take place. Permits

from multiple public authorities are required for gas storage, and an understanding of the environmental impacts of

the work is needed for a sound assessment of the activities identified in the permit. Guarantees protecting everyone’s

interests cover the entire process from proposal to award of the permits and implementation.

Notably, the environmental impact report says that adapting the infrastructure

above and below ground will have hardly any repercussions

either on the surrounding area or the soil. Other aspects of project execution

are also subject to meticulous care.


TAQA has always seriously considered local residents’ and

stakeholders’ concerns, which it fully understands.

The risk of earth tremors in particular is fairly

intangible for many people. Extensive independent

investigations have indicated a low probability of a minor

tremor. TAQA is doing what it can to allay any fears

through clear communication and giving open and

honest answers to acutely felt questions.


Objections against underground gas storage have been aired in the information

evenings and public consultation rounds. It was conspicuous on each separate

occasion just how fragmented the policy of layered public authorities can appear.

26

In addition, the semblance of a ‘zero-risk society’ in recent decades has encouraged a public perception of an

inalienable right to appeal against decisions that have been taken democratically. Ultimately there is a risk that the

latest fashionable idea will prevail above national, European and international interests. And this without reference to

the investments made in the meantime.

Jan Willem van Hoogstraten is

the Bergermeer Gas Storage project director

(TAQA Energy). He is responsible for implementing

this megaproject in the widest sense. Besides the

permits, designs and construction, much effort is

being put into communication with stakeholders,

politicians and the media. All commercial aspects,

such as setting up the operating company

for Bergermeer, which will greatly influence

subsequent energy market liberalisation in Europe,

are also under his responsibility.

The complexity of decision making demands great patience of the people in the project organisation and investors alike. Bergermeer Gas Storage is now a long-term investment that is part of a vision on the position that the Netherlands aspires to on the international energy market.

Gasopslag

stopt energie in uw omgeving

Bergermeer


However, you may wonder out loud whether

the Netherlands is not missing out on other

investments, and whether investors are not

put off by the decision-making process...

BUONAPPETITO!

I hope you live to be a hundred!

28

BUONAPPETITO!

Imagine being told “Sorry, but if you don’t lose weight, you won’t be able to keep your job here.”Do you think I’m talking about a modelling agency? Wrong. This might really happen on a

Norwegian oil platform. Besides a visa you need a health certificate. Madness isn’t is? Or.....

My aim in this section is to introduce you to a world of good, genuine food. And I want to show you that you can really enjoy food without having to worry you’ll become as large as you are tall.

Don’t panic, I won’t be telling you to eat tiny portions of salad with a small cracker anda pint of water. After all, life is to be lived ;)

My name is Natascha Bruti. Daughter of Italian and Dutch cuisines: of pasta and of mashed potatoes with cabbage. I

grew up surrounded by farmers and factory workers, and I have seen that in order to feel well, you have to feed well.

Especially if you have to work hard for hours on end. You will understand that I wasn’t brought up with ‘small portions

on big plates’. My family knows well how to eat!

And yet they were not particularly fat. Well, except for uncle Gianni. But he went to college and had a job in an office

in Rome. He left the fields and sat behind a desk, calculating. But he didn’t leave his appetite behind in the fields. It

was as if a wicked fairy had cursed him with “I hope you live to be a hundred and put on a pound every week.” He

didn’t make it to live a hundred, but I believe he did put on that pound a week.

29

Let me tell you something about what happens when you eat. With every mouthful we swallow, that fantastic computer of

ours (our body) works out what it is going to do with it. The body analyses every substance and sends it to the right place,

transforming nutrition into energy. And, at some point, enough energy will have been put in. At this point the stomach and

intestines should be able to relax after this hard work. But often we eat so quickly we don’t sense that we have eaten

enough, and just carry on. This puts the body under constant strain. Your liver, heart and intestines have to work overtime,

and that demands lots of your attention. Consequently, you have less attention left for a sense of wellness and vitality.

IN FACT YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO FEEL TIRED AFTER A HUGE MEAL.

DON’T STOP READING NOW, BECAUSE I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU THAT ALL THIS ROUNDNESS IS UNNECESSARY. AND I’M NOT GOING TO TELL

YOU THAT YOU CAN ONLY EAT A QUARTER OF WHAT YOU DO NOW. NEITHER DO YOU HAVE TO EAT A PALLET OF SPONGE CAKE A DAY BECAUSE

SOME DIET GURU SAYS ‘IT WILL KEEP YOU SO HEALTHY AND SLIM’. NO. EAT, TASTE, ENJOY. BUT, WHAT WILL DO THE TRICK THEN?

30

The body is very good at storing surplus food ‘just in case it is needed’. We don’t call this energy any more, but fat.

And the warehouse of all this food we didn’t really need is what we usually call ‘a big belly’!

DON’T STOP READING NOW, BECAUSE I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU THAT ALL THIS ROUNDNESS IS UNNECESSARY. AND I’M NOT GOING TO TELL

YOU THAT YOU CAN ONLY EAT A QUARTER OF WHAT YOU DO NOW. NEITHER DO YOU HAVE TO EAT A PALLET OF SPONGE CAKE A DAY BECAUSE

SOME DIET GURU SAYS ‘IT WILL KEEP YOU SO HEALTHY AND SLIM’. NO. EAT, TASTE, ENJOY. BUT, WHAT WILL DO THE TRICK THEN?

I HOPE YOU LIVE TO BE A HUNDRED!31

Oh dear, do I hear excuses for not doing any?

PLEASE E-MAIL THEM TO ME.The first valid excuse not to exercise

still has to be invented,

perhaps you will be the one

to come up with it.

EXERCISE!

to come up with the best eat-and-move recipe of 2010.Needless to say the winner will receive a trophy, not to mention prize money

of € 500 and professional glory.

Submit your entry by 30 September 2010 to [email protected] subject: Natascha Bruti

I CHALLENGE ALL OFFSHORE CHEFS




Exercise, even after a day’s work? Yes, even after a day’s work. The relaxation achieved through sport after work is

particularly satisfying. You’ll feel fitter instantly, because the circulation of oxygen through the body is activated. There

is a release of substances that make you feel stronger and that lighten your mood.

OH, AND DID I MENTION HOW MUCH HEALTHIER AND THEREFORE BETTER YOU WILL START TO LOOK? And that will make you exercise even more, or am I going too far now ;)

Even if you are in the middle of the ocean, exercise is always possible. And I don’t mean running (or swimming ) around

the platform. There are specific facilities for exercise available everywhere offshore. And when you are on shore you have

even more choice. Perhaps without spending a cent you would like to run or cycle, or maybe you would like boxing lessons,

or...?

Now you know who I am, an Italian Dutchie who loves good food . You know that food can give you strength and health,

as it can also rob you of your strenght and health. And you know the way to prevent this last scenario. So, eat, enjoy, and

exercise.

And now...eat!Finally I would like to give you a delicious Dutch recipe, after which you won’t need an enormous amount of exercise.

This soup is often served in the factory with a couple of generous slices of bread. Spread with real butter, of course.

* Wash and slice the leeks into rings. It is best first to cut the leek into three lengthwise and then simply cut into strips from the underside. * finely chop the garlic (or use a garlic press) * melt the butter in the pan * add the leeks and garlic and sauté until soft. Stir regularly to prevent it browning too much. * in the meantime peel the potatoes and slice into cubes * when the garlic-leek mixture has softened, add the potato cubes and bouillon stock * bring everything to the boil and taste occasionally, to see if a little more salt is needed, and that sort of thing * simmer for about half an hour on a low heat * puree the soup (a hand blender is very good for this comes in really handy here) * pour the cream on just before serving * and when the soup is in the bowls, you can complete the dish by cutting fresh chives with a knife or scissors and adding to each helping

For 20 large helpings.

A dollop of butter

finely chopped garlic cloves (7)

10 large leeks (about one-and-a-half kilos)

20 large potatoes (also one-and-a-half kilos)

5 litres bouillon stock

salt (to taste)

pepper

cream (1,250 ml or so)

chives

BUON APPETITO!


Speaking of

Bram van Mannekes:

commitment

34

“The value of people exchanging and absorbing

information shows when this leads to permanent

motivation and implementation of results within

individuals’ own organisations.”

commitment

35

NOGEPA’s new styleMuch work and many achievements come out of the various working groups and

committees that NOGEPA sets up. Nonetheless, there is a desire to target the activities

even more specifically. One aspect is an attempt to raise awareness of the organisation’s

influence on decision processes. However, ensuring that the member companies do more

than just ‘something’ with the output is every bit as important .

We spoke to Bram van Mannekes, Secretary-General of NOGEPA.

SPEAKING OF COMMITMENT36

There are rumours of an impending new boost to dynamism within NOGEPA.What sorts of thing should we expect?We wish to establish a clearer profile in multiple fields, and assert our position more firmly in the debate with

our target groups. For instance, we want gradually to move away from meetings that have a perpetual agenda.

Organising our activities as projects will enable us to concentrate our attention on specific, more thematic, subjects.

It goes without saying that we will be raising these subjects for discussion in smaller groups, preferably comprising

specialists in very specific or clearly delineated fields. This is a way of involving people much more directly and

urgently in developing ideas about these subjects. We have seen that if we can achieve the depth we aspire to, it can

make people more motivated to stay actively involved in the subsequent steps. This is where we can add value and

therefore make a difference.

NOGEPA’s strength is in its members’ willingness to contribute actively in this way to the interests of the industry. How can the value of their contributions be gauged?If we look at our members, we can see that they are confronted with changing and,

more specifically, smaller workforces. Those acting as representatives on the working

groups and committees will usually have had to make sacrifices in their normal work.

Needless to say, this can occasionally lead to questions. To what extent can they free

up time given the hectic situation in their own work, including the interests of the

company they represent, in order to concentrate on an industry-wide issue?


What can NOGEPA then do to guarantee the correct presentation of the output for use by its members?The most important aspect is that the members of the working groups and committees really put their shoulders to

the wheel to communicate the output within their own ranks. We can go no further than facilitating processes as

effectively as we can. It touches on our right to exist, as an umbrella organisation, to ensure that information can

be transferred correctly and clearly. This is also where the greatest challenge lies. We have to keep inventing and

providing tools to reduce to a minimum any noise on the line. Our recently redesigned website is an important aid.

We publish a regular newsletter in support of the site. We also wish to facilitate the formation of new networks,

so that everyone, even if they are not involved in the meetings, can easily maintain contact with each other about

subjects of, or that serve a, joint interest.

What is the outcome of the discussion worth to them? How do they feel at the end of a meeting? What do

they do with the information they receive? One person will handle the situation differently from someone

else. It should be noted that participants’ ‘direct’ interest in the subject also plays an important role. However,

we observe that one or more ‘front runners’ always stand up and manage to activate and motivate the others

with their enthusiasm.

We wish to establish a clearer profile in

multiple fields, and assert our position more

firmly in the debate with our target groups.

SPEAKING OF COMMITMENT

Bram van Mannekes

38

What guarantee does this give that the sector really will implement the working group and committee proposals and resolutions?Our responsibility is to communicate the output as clearly as possible. Only then

can it be incorporated within the structures of each of our members. The members

themselves are responsible for the ultimate integration or implementation. What it

boiles down to is wanting to capitalise on having people exchanging and absorbing

information, both in terms of permanent motivation and implementation of the

output in individuals’ own organisations.


isPaying

Attention

40

Before I explain Zen and meditation in relation to ‘health, safety, welfare and the environment’, I would like briefly to introduce myself. My name is Ramon

Roelofs, and I am 42 years of age. Thirty-somethings among you may know me better as Charly of the DJ duo Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo. We had a

whole string of hits in the 1990s, mainly in the Netherlands and Germany.

My life as a DJ and music producer at that time was extremely hectic.My good friend Theo and I travelled the world spreading our Happy Hardcore sound. We put down some 250 performances a year, not counting the many promotional gigs for radio and television, days in the studio and meetings.

I was living my dream, my passion.

ZEN IS PAYING ATTENTION 41

You will understand that there is no chance of a structured life at such a punishing pace, often in the small hours and very far from home.

were thoughts constantly going through my head. On the edge of a burnout, my first encounter with Zen came in 1998 when I read a book with the title ‘Zen and Management’. In search of meaning and inspiration, albeit with a degree of scepticism, I joined a Zen course.

Within the contexts of ‘health, safety, welfare and the environment’, I see many points of contact with the practice of Zen. In Zen these four ethical values are cultivated, given depth, experienced and lived through extreme concentration. Zen happens to rely on the principle that it is better to do one thing well than ten things by halves. Do what you are doing and not something else. This has a connection with quality control. A familiar everyday example is ‘cleaning your teeth’. Twice a day I stand in front of the mirror with my electric toothbrush and gaze at the same head I have seen every day for the last 42 years. “Hmm, face is a bit pale. Better take a quick lie down on a sunbed! But first get down to the gym and give the equipment a pounding. Then a bite to eat and off to the studio. Maybe I should mix that new track in a completely different way...”, thoughts race through my mind. And, you guessed it: after 20 seconds I have no idea which side of my mouth I have been brushing. That was then!

“What has happened to my balance? Do I really enjoy the unrelenting pressure to perform?”,


“What has happened to my balance? Do I really enjoy the unrelenting pressure to perform?”,

Wax on, wax off

Now I am a little more concentrated on the task

in hand when I stand in front of the mirror, and

I do my best to clean my teeth without my mind

wandering off into the past or the future.

My daily meditation sessions help.

This is practised in Zen temples in Japan in a very conscious way and based on various disciplines. Besides the many hours of meditation every day they practise archery, calligraphy and ... ‘sweeping up leaves’. My teacher once spent a couple of months in a real Japanese Zen monastery, where at first he had to sweep up leaves every day. The highly qualified Raoul Destrée, just spent all day sweeping up leaves. These were the only duties he was given. And every time the abbot passed, he greeted Raoul with a friendly smile and the words “Hai. You’rre doingk verry well”. I then see before me the young Daniel being groomed by Mr Miyagi to become a karate champion. ‘Wax on, wax off’. To my mind, the purpose is ‘mindsetting’. Do what you do with complete commitment. Try to be in the here and now and avoid being too distracted by interfering thoughts. Your quality of concentration will then increase. Thinking about the past or future actually adds nothing to the present moment. However, this does not always seem to be easy to achieve in practice. Actually it is extremely difficult.


Not so very long ago meditation would conjure up a

picture of turbaned gurus with incense wafting through

the air, the open-toe sandal brigade, or new age-

like movements. However, ever more people are now

finding that deliberate relaxation through meditation has

a positive effect on our health and mental wellbeing.

There is scientific proof that meditation reduces stress,

blood pressure, heart rate and muscle tension. The

experiences mentioned in an evaluation report following

a course given by my teacher that was produced by

the planning office of the Haaglanden* police force, and

involving one hundred managers and staff, included:

feeling less flustered, being better able to reflect

quietly, able to take better decisions, doing things more

consciously, being more balanced, and being better

able to put hectic events at work into perspective. An

evaluation report of the occupational health, safety

and environmental service of Wageningen University**

has shown that this Mental Fitness company training

course has a positive influence on health. Most course

participants said their reasons for taking the course

were concentration problems, work stress and interest.

At the end of the course the majority reported positive

effects on tension and stress. These examples show

that regular meditation helps improve performance

and general wellbeing. There is nothing difficult or

woolly about it at all. The nice thing is that you can do

it anywhere: at home, in the train, at work, in the car,

just before an important speech, or before you go on

the pitch for a major league football final. All you need

is yourself. It is good to take a course given by an

experienced teacher when learning the principles and

subtleties of meditation.

EffectsZen meditation is about following or counting your breathing. You count one every time you breathe out. You count

from 1 to 10 in this way. If you lose count, you start again. In doing this you will distract yourself, but more to the

point you will become aware of spontaneous ideas and your churning and brooding thoughts. You will notice it

becoming progressively quieter in your head, with the tranquillity spreading to other parts of your body and internal

organs. Meditation is a way of achieving rapid and effective relaxation. Scientific research has identified a variety

of effects.

Scientific proof


Physiological:• slower heart rate, giving the heart muscles more time to relax;

• lower blood pressure;

• regulation of breathing;

• less oxygen demand;

• better skin resistance;

• more relaxation;

• improved digestion;

• better sleep quality, reducing fatigue.

Raoul Destrée wrote a book with the title ‘Persoonlijke Effectiviteit en Concentratie Management (Personal

Effectiveness and Concentration Management)’, in which he contends that many sufferers of diseases of

civilisation, such as myocardial infarction, hyperventilation, hypertension and insomnia, use medicines simply

to treat the symptoms. I completely agree with him on this point, and the difference with Zen training is that it

goes back to the basis of how we work, and it has a preventive effect.

Psychological:• better concentration;

• reduction of depressive feelings;

• acceptance of current situation;

• recognition of own prejudices and ‘habitual thinking’;

• improved intuitive observation;

• better working climate;

• less aggression;

• sense of relaxation.


Experience from practice: ‘Mental Fitness’Meditating with some regularity, for 20 minutes a day, creates the ideal conditions for a good mental and physical

state, and certainly if combined with a healthy attitude to life. By this I mean sufficient physical exercise, taking

part in a sport, walking outdoors, getting enough sleep, and good nutrition. I consider the practice of Zen to be a

form of ‘Mental Fitness’. It gives you an opportunity to rid yourself of excess ballast in your head and keep your

mind supple and flexible. The storm raging inside your head can be stilled by squatting on a cushion once or

twice a day. A metaphor I like to use is a glass of water into which you throw a spoonful of sand. Cover the glass

with your hand and shake it vigorously. Put the glass down and see how cloudy the water is. However, after a few

minutes the water will become clearer as the sand slowly starts to sink to the bottom. And after a while the water

will be clear enough for you to see the sand lying on the bottom. The water symbolises our spirit, and the sand our

thoughts and conditioning. By sitting still you start to gain insight into processes and habits. A course participant

came up with a striking analogy.

“In my daily meditation sessions it is just as if I am tending my inner garden. I give extra water (attention) to any thoughts or ideas that have a positive value for me, and I observe and weed out thoughts or patterns that obstruct me. This is how I keep my inner garden free of weeds”.

We can ascertain from these examples and insights that meditation is an utterly effective way of getting off your

‘automatic pilot’. It gives you a clear view of the things that occupy you, putting you in a position to act pliably and

flexibly in situations that so demand. For 1500 years Zen has been providing tools for reducing absent-mindedness

and bringing people more into the here and now. It is how you can experience your authentic ‘self’. Meditation

plays a most important role in this process.


Disaster: how could it happen?Within the contexts of ‘health, safety, welfare and the environment’ I wonder just how the oil disaster in the

Gulf of Mexico could have happened. Despite the recently placed cap, 6.36 million litres of oil a day are still

pouring into the sea. This is killing thousands of marine animals and thousands more will become sick or

die through human error. Aside from the horrific scenario for the animals, this is about a real threat to human

health, because we eat these oil-contaminated marine animals! We swim in the sea! A disaster like this and on

this scale shows that attention training is no unnecessary luxury.

Next time I will delve into concentration training and mindsetting in more detail.

I wish you all a fine and enjoyable summer!

Ramon Rollfs of Roelofs.

Bibliography

* Haaglanden police force newsletter, R. Destrée & S. Schaepman, April 1999

** Evaluatie AMD-cursussen gezondheidsbevordering 2003-2004 (Evaluation of Safety, Health, and Environmental Service

health promotion courses 2003-2004), Wageningen University, University Welfare Service

Want to see your article about a more pleasant and/or safer workplace featured

in this magazine? No problem! Respond


Charly LownoiseZonder Wrijving geen Glans


http://issuu.com/action/openurl?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUHp6XQmrAo

HSETHE NETHERLANDS

LIBYAVS

48

HSETHE NETHERLANDS

LIBYADealing consciously

with safety is part of a

universal culture that

pursues the same goal all

over the world. And, as

everywhere, it demands

careful training.

HSE – LIBYA VS THE NETHERLANDS49

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES DO EXIST, BUT NOT WHERE SAFETY IS CONCERNED

The engineering of the“Sirte Basin concession 96 and 97”

plants in Libya was carried out in Germany, and the construction was

to Western standards, despite the many years that the country was

under embargo.


The 8 oil fields are operated by Wintershall

Libya, which observes the same standards

as all opcos of this BASF subsidiary. The

employees are a mixture of Libyan and

expatriate staff. The majority of the managers

are European (from Germany and the

Netherlands) and Canadian. At the moment

sixty per cent of all employees are Libyan,

but the government has announced its

intention to increase this proportion. In five

or six years’ time there must be close to two-

hundred more Libyans, some as additions to

the workforce, and others as replacements

for expats.


THIS IS AN ENORMOUS CHALLENGE FORAN ORGANISATION LIKE OURS.

An HSE culture like the one we have in the Netherlands is

extremely sophisticated. It is the fruit of a learning process that

has taken many decades, backed up by comprehensive laws

and regulations.

The obvious question then ishow to go about imbuing people

with this kind of culturein a relatively short time.


We were given permission to set up an extensive training programme, and we

are in the process of creating a kind of academy. The people we hope will enrol

have been educated roughly to the equivalent of Dutch basic general secondary

level. We will give them training in accordance with the correct criteria to bring

them to the appropriate level, comparable with Dutch advanced secondary level.

The course complies with the United Kingdom National Vocational Qualification

that was adopted in response to the Piper Alpha incident. This is a recognised

system, which we intend to faithfully reproduce here.

At first we will import experience from other companies in the United Kingdom

and elsewhere. Slowly we will select people from the course who are themselves

able to act as trainers. We are of course working from the ground up, but our

ultimate aim is to achieve the same standard as in countries like the Netherlands.

I have great expectations for this approach. Libyans are open and flexible. They

have the potential to embrace the kind of safety culture we have in mind.

Theo Bergers was Operations Manager for Wintershall North Sea

for many years, during which time he was responsible for “remote

controlled operations”, among other things. The company received

the BASF Innovation Award in 2007 for this innovative operating

method and the way in which it was introduced and implemented in

the company. He is now Operations Manager for Wintershall Libya.


for industry, by industry

HSE LIFE is a forum for those working in the petroleum and natural gas industry.HSE LIFE focuses particularly on those working wherever HSEW is really an issueor really should be an issue: on the shop floor.

HSE LIFE magazine is published by:The WAT Group B.V.P.O. Box 200337302 HA ApeldoornThe NetherlandsMobile: +31 (6) 462 95 25 6(7, 8, 9)

Take a look at our renewed website: www.thewatgroup.com On this issue workedRené Beaumont, Natascha Bruti, Marjou Janse, Veselin Raznatovic, Ramon Roelofs, Marcel van Spronsen, Pier van Spronsen, Stéphanie van Stockum, Otto van den Toorn, Janine Ijssel de Schepper, Jonathan van Woudenberg

Please e-mail any comments about subjects discussed in this July 2010 magazine to [email protected] attn. Janine Ijssel de Schepper.

Articles may not be taken from this publication within the meaning of Article 15 of the Netherlands Copyright Act.;

© The WAT Group B.V. 2010

55

http://www.thewatgroup.com


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