play your part tea shack news - step change in safety shack ne… · plan which describes how...

Ever wondered why those stand-by boats are there? Every installation must have an Emergency Response Plan which describes how people would be rescued and recovered from the water.

An Emergency Response and Rescue Vessel (ERRV) on standby is one way to aid this rescue. ERRVs exist to:• respond to an incident on-board an installation and provide rescue services if required; • recover persons from the sea;• provide them with medical aid; • act as a place of safety;• provide on-scene co-ordination in accordance with the Installations Emergency Response Plan; • warn off approaching vessels and prevent collisions where possible; and • act as a reserve radio station.

ERRVs may also undertake cargo operations or other activities, provided the primary functions are not impaired.

In the event of a major incident offshore, HM Coastguard will assume the role of Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator, and will liaise with the Duty Emergency Response Centre, and agencies such as police, NHS, SAR helicopters, etc.

The OIM will be the On-Scene Co-ordinator (OSC) unless the incident is such that he/she can no longer fulfil that function. In this case the OIM may nominate someone elsewhere, e.g the ERRV Master.

Training and preparation are essential if the 3200+ seafarers are to respond adequately in an emergency.Initial training and “on the job” training are undertaken to OPITO standards.

In 2008, the HSE stated that ERRVs undertake exercises in weather conditions more similar to that experienced in the stormiest months. Since then, ERRVs have undertaken more than 15,000 exercises in such conditions, without injury to personnel or any equipment damage.

The equipment fitted on an ERRV will depend upon the number of installations that it is supporting and the number of people that it may have to rescue. A single drilling unit may be supported by an ERRV with two Fast Rescue Craft (FRC) and a crew of 12. A larger field with several installations may be supported by an ERRV with two Daughter Craft (DC), two FRCs, and a crew of 18 or more, depending upon the workrole. ERRVs remain continuously on station and on call, irrespective of the prevailing weather conditions, unless released by the OIM.

Daughter Craft may be deployed up to 10 nautical

Daughter Craft on sea trials

TEA SHACK NEWSPLAY YOUR PART

NEWS ITEMS • STORIES • INFORMATION • YOUR WORDS • QUIZ Issue 3, 2014

Offshore Guardians

Continued on page 2

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IN THIS EDITION:p3

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Tea Shack News sat down with Harry Toan, a true North Sea Tiger, who has spent the last 35 years working on the Ninian Platform. He told us about what’s changed in the industry, and gives some trusted advice to those starting their offshore careers….

Hi Harry, can you describe your time offshore?

“I first went out in 1977 as a rigger. I was 29 and have only just retired at 66. I worked on the Ninian Central Platform for most of my career, although I changed companies a few times.”

So you must have seen some massive changes in the last 35 years?

“When I started, we were only allowed one phone-call home a week. Can you imagine that? If you phoned at the wrong time, you could go an entire tour without speaking to loved ones. My family were in Northern Ireland

during The Troubles so I was hearing reports of bombs but couldn’t find out how they were coping. But now, home is only a second away. You just need to find your phone and you’re instantly connected. This has been a huge step forward for safety, because people aren’t distracted and worrying about what’s going on at home.”

What advice would you give people who are just starting out?

“Be prepared for it to be difficult when you’re working on rotations. Sure, the money is great and you get regular time off, but you become a part-time husband, partner, family member and friend. It takes a certain type of woman to be left behind so regularly; my wife had to be a mother and a father to our three kids. So be ready for a tricky road.”

Do you think that there’s still a

sense of camaraderie offshore?“In our spare time, we used to watch

a film together, or big sporting matches. There was a huge sense of camaraderie which has been lost a little because of TVs in rooms and internet access. But if people want to spend time on their own, you can’t stop them. It’s sometimes good to break away from others when you can; it can re-focus you in an environment where you never really switch off.”

What about safety?“When I started, our survival suits

were practically non-existent, and we certainly weren’t wearing safety goggles. People wanted to stay safe, but we weren’t aware of the risks and didn’t have nearly as many regulations to comply with. Now, there’s a tremendous respect towards safety, and people are always ready to point out hazards to others.”

The 35 year shift

Harry cutting his retirement cake after 35 years on Ninian

What to wear in the air

CLOTHING POLICYto be worn under your survival suit - UK waters

SUMMER1st June to 30th September > 10°c2 layersSuggested combination; t-shirt, jumper & trousers

WINTER1st October to 31st May < 10°c 3 layers (inc one long sleeve top)Suggested combination; long sleeve top, short sleeve top, jumper & trousers

Do’s

T-shirt

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www.stepchangeinsafety.net / Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @stepchangeinfo / Facebook: /stepchangeinsafety

The inspectors are coming

The Deepwater Horizon disaster killed 11 people and is seen as one of the largest accidental marine oil spills in history. To avoid a similar incident in European Waters, the European Commission introduced an Offshore Safety Directive on the safety of offshore oil and gas operations, which will come into force from July 2015.

There will be some changes to UK legislation and how the offshore industry is regulated in the UK:• The launch of an Offshore Competent Authority

which will be responsible for offshore safety and environmental regulation. This will be operated by HSE and DECC;

• Companies will need to include additional information in their Safety Cases, which will be assessed by the Competent Authority;

• For the first time non-production installations will need an approved Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (OPEP);

• The reporting of incidents will be standardised for all EU countries, and will include annual reporting back to the European Commission.

“In the UK, the good practice our industry and regulators have developed is based on the fact that those who create risks are responsible for managing and controlling them,” said Susan Mackenzie,

Director for Energy Division at HSE. “We are pleased that the EU Directive will

build on this and are sure that we can meet the requirements.”HOW ARE THE UK REGULATORS HELPING THIS PROCESS?

DECC and HSE have been working together on the revision of legislation and the practical arrangements the changes will bring. It will be building on and enhancing the existing arrangements...

“The implementation of the EU Safety Directive into UK legislation is a major task for DECC and HSE,” said Wendy Kennedy, Head of DECC’s Offshore, Environmental and Decommissioning team in Aberdeen.

“We can now amend and develop practical and operational issues so that by July 2015 a robust and fit-for-purpose regulatory regime will be in place. Communication is an important element in achieving a workable and practical transposition of the Directive. DECC and HSE will keep the oil and gas industry updated with the progress and will listen to feedback during this important development stage.”

miles from the Mother Vessel (ERRV) to support over-side working and other activities on a remote installation. Platform-based radar, coupled with repeater facilities aboard the ERRV, and enhanced communication systems that they maintain communication with the DCs, and are able to monitor a bigger geographic area than with ship mounted radar scanners alone.

FRCs are used for close standby work during over-side working from an installation and are invariably in sight of the ERRV. Both DCs and FRCs have a crew of three, and are capable of speeds of 30-40 knots in calm to moderate weather conditions.

ERRVs also have a mechanical means of recovering personnel from the water which can be deployed when storm conditions preclude the

use of a FRC or DC. They can also deploy a rescue basket that can be placed in the water as a temporary refuge until a person can be recovered by conventional means.

ERRVs have rescued 558 people since 1986, although half were non oil and gas related incidents. In recent years there has been a major

investment in the 130 ERRV fleet, and when the remaining 28 new vessels are delivered over the next two years, over half the fleet will be under 4 years old. This bodes well for the future of the industry, and everyone offshore.

Offshore Guardians

2 TEA SHACK NEWS | Issue 3

TEA SHACK NEWSPublished by: Step Change in

Safety and HSE.

We’d love to hear your news and stories. Here’s how you

can contact us:

www.teashacknews.comw

[email protected]

#playyourpart

Continued from page 1

Fast Rescue Craft and crew on an exercise

Grampian Contender leaves Aberdeen for Heather Field

Offshore Safety Directive Implementation Team

CHANGES AHEAD

Stories fromthe shackThe top banana from the oil company we work for was doing one of those meet and greet visits on our platform and he came into the Bear pit and asked one of the boys how many people worked on here? Quick as a flash my mate told him - “About 30%!”

We want to hear your funny stories. Email [email protected]

Read the publication on-line

3www.teashacknews.com

The use of electronic cigarettes on offshore installations has been a hot topic for some time, with the use of them increasing in recent years. There are both health and safety risks attributed to the use of the devices.

E-cigarettes still contain the highly addictive drug nicotine. While often marketed as an aid to ‘kicking the habit’, there is evidence that they are no more effective than existing nicotine replacement products which are subject to medical licensing requirements unlike e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes can only be smoked offshore in designated smoking areas, which ultimately removes the ‘health’ benefit of the electronic version over a standard cigarette due to inhalation of passive smoke.

In terms of safety implications, there have been a number of fires due to mal-functioning charging units. This is predominantly due to the lithium ion batteries which are required together with control circuitry failures (i.e. unsuitable chargers being used). The use of e-cigarettes offshore creates another risk which requires mitigation within a major hazard industry.

There is currently no common policy across the industry for the use and transport of e-cigarettes. Please refer to your company’s smoking policy for full information on procedures and conduct.

Smoke without fire

A clothing policy for helicopter travel has been standardised for every helicopter flight travelling to an installation in UK waters. The policy will come into effect on Wednesday, 1st October. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

What to wear in the air

SUMMER1st June to 30th September > 10°c2 layers (inc one long sleeve top) Suggested combination; t-shirt, jumper & trousers

WINTER1st October to 31st May < 10°c 3 layers (inc one long sleeve top) Suggested combination; long sleeve top, short sleeve top, jumper & trousers

The CAA Safety Directive released in May 2014 states that commercial air transport offshore cannot fly over seas of significant wave height of more than 6 metres. There were concerns that these new regulations would mean more flights are delayed. Helicopter pilot Captain Colin Milne thinks otherwise…

On 11th August the remnant of Hurricane Bertha wreaked havoc on the Central North Sea. This unusual weather event for mid-summer brought with it intense low pressure, torrential rain, storm force winds and waves the height of a house. This was the first example of wave heights higher than 6m since the CAA’s report.

Pilots had to check the Met Office forecast significant wave height data, to decide whether their flights would pass over seas which exceeded the 6m wave limit. At 1000h (GMT), wind speeds faster than 60 knots forced the decks in the Gannet and Shearwater areas to close. The wave height at that time was being recorded at 6.2m. Several flights were put on hold or cancelled due to the excessive wave height situation. By midday, waves had reached 7.25m, as shown in the picture.

When the wind speeds and the wave heights were compared, there was a direct correlation. The flights in the Central North Sea which were cancelled due to excessive wave height would have been cancelled anyway because of the high wind speeds over the helidecks.

The data gathered from the offshore platforms during this event demonstrates that the Met Office forecast data is accurate and reliable, and that the correlation of 6m significant wave height and 60 knot wind speed is quite close. It is therefore unlikely that many flights will be delayed

Too rough to fly




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Model of significant wave height over the North Sea at 12.00h (GMT) on 11 Aug 2014




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in future in the Central North Sea because of significant wave height alone.

Colin Milne is an Aberdeen based EC225 pilot and represents BALPA on the CAA Offshore Helicopter Safety Action Group.

4

Tony Heatherington

You will have seen in previous issues of Tea Shack News that we have revised our strategy and the way we inspect the industry. We are making sure that industry and our inspectors focus on major hazard risks, the sort of risk that could threaten the whole of an installation.

Another part of our strategy is to look at ourselves and make sure we have all the skills to deliver the strategy. We need people who can manage inspections and investigations, plus people with deep technical expertise in structural and mechanical engineering, fire and explosion prevention and much more.

We already employ many fantastic specialists with a wealth of expertise. Where we find gaps in the skills we need and have, we will try to fill them with training and development for people we already employ. However, inevitably, we will need to recruit people.

Recruiting the right people will always be a challenge. We can’t compete with the highest offshore salaries. The work we have kicked off (the Workforce Strategy Programme) will help us to ensure we employ the workforce we need. So, if you see any HSE job adverts, ask yourself, have I got something to offer, could I make a contribution to improving the safety performance of the industry?

And the survey says...

TEA SHACK NEWS | Issue 3

The Regulator’s

View

In the last issue of TSN, we reported Workforce Engagement Survey results that showed three in four workers get the feedback they need when they raise health and safety issues … but one in four still don’t!For each of us to play our part to create a safe, engaging workplace, we need to make sure we:• Share our point of view whenever we can – not just during those formal times or when we are asked• Are clear and honest when we do provide feedback – it’s not meaningful unless it lands well and we own it• Be inquisitive (not defensive) when we get and give feedback – give as you would like to get, and vice versa

No man is an island… Community. What does the word mean to you?

The guys who have been working offshore for years may say that camaraderie was stronger in the past, when a sense of being ‘in it together’ was noticeable on every platform. But now,

we have TVs in cabins, Wi-Fi enabled devices and social media – both on- and offshore. This means that the social scene offshore has changed, but perhaps not for the better. It’s easy to see isolation becoming the default position.

How many sit with others whose attention and presence is somewhere else? How many use the screen on their

phone as a way to avoid interaction with others?

How we communicate with each other is changing rapidly, and the impact of this is obvious offshore. Facebook, Twitter and text conversations require our time and attention, but take us away from the people who are around us.

Face-to-face conversations give us the

chance to share common ground and be part of the environment we’re in. It is this camaraderie and fellowship that will build mutual respect and a better understanding of what’s going on where we are.

So choose to switch off your phone, sit and chat, allow the here and now to inform you.

Elected to make a difference: ESR Paraic Faherty

Why is it important that leaders are visible?Some people say that leadership is all about setting clear expectations. It’s about describing how things should operate and drawing a clear line in the sand regarding desired and unacceptable behaviour.Others think it is about walking the talk. Doing what you say you will do. Being a role model for the standards you set and demonstrating the behaviours you want other people to adopt.And others feel that it’s about getting out in front of people. Really understanding the issues on the shop floor. Listening to issues and ideas, concerns and suggestions for improvement. Creating a direct communication pipeline between all levels at a worksite.

While we are on the topic of the Workforce Engagement Survey – if you would like some help understanding your Workforce Engagement Survey results, please contact the Step Change in Safety team at: [email protected]

Here are two contrasting perspectives on these results:

1. The situation suggested by the results is fine – leaders have a busy job and it is perfectly reasonable that workers don’t get to see them as much as senior managers, supervisors or safety reps. Shouldn’t it be about effective delegation, and quality; not quantity of contact?

2. The situation suggested by the results is not fine – leaders are meant to set standards, be role models, and connect with the workforce. Why are they seen as more visible by their managers and others under their direct control than the broader workforce?

Which perspective on leadership visibility do you favour?The next time you have the opportunity, discuss the above survey results and perspectives on them at your worksite. What is leadership visibility like? Do you want more? Less? Think about how site leaders impact your role. Do they make it easier? Harder? In what way are they relevant to you?If you are a leader, where does visibility rank in your priority list? What decisions do you need to make and what support do you need in order to spend as much quality time with the workforce as you can? Cost pressures in our industry mean that efficiency is becoming more important – making more with the same or less. How will this impact your ability to spend quality time directly with your people?

What do we think about current levels of leadership visibility?More than 10,000 responses to one question in the Workforce Engagement Survey tell us about views of the visibility of Site Leaders at worksites in our industry.


Union OpinionDerek Whatling

By reading the newspapers you could be forgiven for believing that CAA’s Safety review of offshore helicopter operations (CAP1145) contained only two requirements; an improved emergency breathing system and a requirement that passengers sit near an exit through which they can escape if the aircraft crashes into the water. These recommendations have received much attention simply because of the direct impact they have on the offshore workforce. But these changes are a relatively small part of a report which actually looks at more ways to keep helicopters flying, not what happens if they crash into the water.

Pilots spend roughly 600 hours every year flying over the North Sea, which is about 10 times more than the ‘average’ passenger. So we are pleased that 50 of the 61 recommendations are about keeping the helicopters in the air.

Particularly welcome was the CAA’s decision to:

• Establish a new offshore helicopter safety forum to take firm leadership of offshore helicopter safety (Action 1)

• Ensure safety improvements are rapidly implemented by assuming full control of the certification of offshore helidecks (Action 14)

• Extend appropriate safety initiatives from large fixed-wing aircraft to rotary-wing aircraft (Action 19)

• Prohibit flights over seas exceeding Sea State Six (Action 5), so avoiding sole reliance on ‘Dacon Scoop’.

In a post publication press release, BALPA’s General Secretary, Jim McAuslan said “The CAA has recognised that independently setting and protecting helicopter flight safety standards in the North Sea is more effective than their [historic] ‘light touch’ regulatory approach.”

So rest assured that, while a lot of attention has focussed upon EBS and passenger size, the majority of changes are being made are to ensure that helicopters stay flying.

Fed up of death by PowerPoint safety talks? Then let Absafe train you to electrocute, run overand set fire to our visitors. It'll be virtual fun all in the name of saving lives.Absafe is an Aberdeen-based safety charity which teaches kids about personal safety. But weneed your help for them to learn. ‘The Safe’ is safety education, staff development andcommunity engagement wrapped up in one fantastic, fun filled package!

“EnerMech is proud to sponsor Heathryburn School’s visit to The Safe and to support our staffvolunteers. We are committed to supporting positive safety behaviours which will save livesnow and have long term benefits for our industry.” Ingrid Stewart, Corporate Development Director

If you’ve got timeto kill,you’ve got timefor

[email protected] a school visit for as little as £300 or support staff volunteering.

thesafe

BUZZARD PLATFORM:Visibility:• OIMs meet every flight to update arrivals on safety statistics, HSE incidents and other incidents that may impact workers during their trip.• OIMs discuss HSE expectations and safe systems of work with new starts. • OIMs socialise with their colleagues through out-of-work activities, like quiz nights and meals.Communication:• Minutes from safety meetings are posted on noticeboards throughout the platform.• Everyone is encouraged to submit TalkCards which record positive and negative safety conversations. The cards are discussed with management and actions are assigned as appropriate. Involvement:• Safety Reps are invited to be part of incident investigation teams and risk assessment teams. • Health and safety is the first agenda item at all team meetings. Support:• OIMs and Safety Reps have access to reward gifts for colleagues who have demonstrated good safety ideas and actions. • Safety Reps visit other platforms to share ideas, knowledge and good practice.

SCOTT PLATFORM:Visibility:• OIMs visit worksites every day to informally discuss ongoing work and safety issues.Communication:• Progress on the asset’s annual health and safety targets are published and distributed to those on the platform. • Safety meetings are used to celebrate health and safety success. Involvement:• Safety Reps help to plan health and safety initiatives.Support:• Safety Reps are allowed to leave the platform to complete health and safety training and attend company and Step Change in Safety events.• Everyone on the platform receives basic training in risk assessment and behavioural safety training.

Every Little HelpsIt’s always encouraging to see examples of people playing their part to create safer offshore platforms. Tea Shack News heard from two Nexen platforms where positive safety behaviours benefit the whole installation by improving workforce involvement. Some efforts may be small, but have the potential to make a big difference. Here’s a look at what people are doing:

These activities are by no means exclusive to these particular platforms, but act as an example of how those on a platform can encourage and ensure a better safety performance. What are you doing? We’d love to hear from you at [email protected].

Steve Chatfield, Head of HSE’s Energy Division Strategy Unit explains about the inspection of offshore installations. How does HSE decide which installations to inspect?

Firstly, there are certain accidents, incidents and complaints which we will always investigate. Following that, in practice, we inspect higher hazard installations with poorer performance more frequently and in greater depth than lower hazard, better-managed installations.

We do this by taking account of the Inherent Hazard of the installation; the operator’s performance in controlling risks and other intelligence such as the strategic importance of the installation.

What is the Inherent Hazard?The Inherent Hazard reflects potential

consequences of things going wrong. We use the major hazard elements in the Potential Loss of Life (PLL) calculation in safety cases. This includes hazards from hydrocarbon releases and ship & vessel collisions. It takes account of how many people are at risk. HSE then ranks installations into one of three Inherent Hazard bands: High, Medium or Low. Typically, a production installation with a large number of people on board will be in the High Band and a normally unattended installation in the Low Band.

What about operator performance?Several factors can go into this. Previous incidents

and the number of RIDDOR reports, including hydrocarbon releases, are two of these factors. We also consider how effective we believe the major hazard barriers are. This is an inspector’s assessment of how well the risks are controlled and how good the emergency measures, such as deluge and fire-fighting arrangements, are.


The Inspectors are coming...look busy!

SitePrioritisation

InherentHazard

OperatorPerformance

OtherIntelligence

Which major hazard barriers are inspected? Each installation has an intervention plan that we share with the duty holder and employee representatives. We can’t inspect everything so we look at a sample of barriers. Our priorities are in the Offshore Sector Strategy 2014 – 2017. www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/aims-and-objectives.pdf.

How does HSE decide whether a barrier is good or bad?Inspectors make an objective judgement of how the duty holder complies with offshore legislation. We have developed a number of inspection guides for key topics and more are planned.

PHASE 1 – NOW AVAILABLEPipeline integritySafety Critical Element Management and VerificationWells personnel competency management systemTemporary refuge integrityControl of work arrangementsEvacuation, escape & rescueOperational risk assessments (ORAs)PHASE 2 – OCTOBER 2014Well controlLoss on containmentMaintenance managementLoss of stability & positionLoss of containmentNoise & vibrationMechanical handling and crane operations

These guides summarise what an inspector will look for, what standards they expect to see and how they rate performance. They also describe what type of enforcement an Inspector may take in particular circumstances based on HSE’s Enforcement Management Model (EMM). They will be published on HSE’s website.

EMM RISK GAPEXTREME SUBSTANTIAL MODERATE NOMINAL NONE NONE

TOPIC PERFORMANCE SCORE60 50 40 30 20 10

Unacceptable Very Poor Poor Broadly Compliant

Fully Compliant Exemplary

EMM INITIAL ENFORCEMENT EXPECTATIONProsecution / Enforcement

Notice

Enforcement Notice / Letter

Enforcement Notice / Letter

Letter / Verbal

warning

None None

Gillian Taylor is a safety advisor advisor within “Quad 9” at Maersk Oil. Her work focuses on the Gryphon Alpha FPSO.

She works with an enthusiastic team who are all driven by the ‘Incident-Free’ mindset.

Before this role Gillian’s key focus was workforce engagement

and in particular with Elected Safety Reps who nominated her for an award at the annual safety awards ceremony in 2012.

“Winning this was a really humbling experience for me. Safety reps have a key role to play and give their time over and above their ‘day job’. They are the true

stars within any organisation.”

“I believe, as an industry, we all want to ensure that every single person goes home safely, whether you call this Incident-Free or by any other name. Step Change gives us the chance to engage and learn and it’s a great opportunity to share our failures and successes”.

Playing my part: Gillian Taylor

How does this determine which installations are inspected?

We combine the Inherent Hazard, the duty holder performance over a range of factors and other intelligence and put each installation into one of three categories: CAT A; CAT B; CAT C. For 2014/15 this means we will inspect –

No. of No. of inspections installations at each

CAT A ~ 50 2CAT B ~ 90 1CAT C ~ 170 0

Does this mean that some installations won’t get inspected each year?

Yes. We can’t go everywhere and even if we could, it is right that we target where inspectors go and what they look at. But, we will ensure all operators are inspected at least once every three years.How are things working so far?

These arrangements started in April 2014 so we are at an early stage. They will take some time to bed in and the progress will be reviewed for use in 2015/16. For example, it will take us time to build up a full picture of industry performance scores based on the new rating system.

In the meantime, HSE is confident that it is developing processes that make it clearer to operators what risks they need to focus on as well as directing inspectors to make sure that operators are controlling these risks.


Teashack News spoke to Glen Cayley, Vice-President of Shell UK and Ireland, about Shell’s continuing drive to improve the safety of everybody working for and on-behalf of Shell. As rigs, platforms and plants get older, more and more specialist contractors will undertake critical, non-routine, challenging work.

Shell pioneered Life Saving Rules in 2009. The 12 Do’s and Don’ts, cover high risk activities. While they protect people from serious harm, or worse, more needs to be done to ensure we protect specialist contractors who are most often at risk.

The work of a specialist contractor is not for the faint-hearted. Their job includes, for example, rope access, heavy lifting, diving and confined space entry. Their work requires them to use specialist skills or equipment which aren’t available on site.

Specialist contractors usually work in accordance with their own procedures and practices, and are quite often left to their own devices. They are experts in their field, so others resist intervening. People usually assume that specialist contractors can be trusted not to harm themselves, despite working in an unfamiliar environment. Meanwhile, specialist contractors often assume a job will go safely, as they may have already performed the same task many times without incidents.

Specialist contractors are employed on an ad-hoc basis, so they may be unfamiliar with the worksite and the particular risks, hazards and safety controls in place.

Site personnel should pay extra attention when working with specialist contractors. To ensure that all controls are effective, specialist contractors should be asked about:• What the job involves, their equipment and the worksite before

they start work• The difficulties of the job and if there is an easier and safer way

to perform it• What could go wrong, and the potential risks for other people.

By taking particular care when working with specialist contractors, rather than just taking their safety for granted, we can all help protect them from harm.

Olav Skar is the General Manager of Wells Operations in the UK. He has worked in the industry for 24 years all over the world, so has seen many changes, particularly concerning attitudes to safety. There are several specialist contractors working in the wells community.

“Over the years, our industry has developed and improved and now provides one of the safest work environments known in any industry,” said Olav.

“I believe we are ready for the next step towards creating an incident-free workplace. We must step up our game on safety and efficiency interventions. People are right to argue that interventions are not a “numbers game”. It’s actually about energising everyone to take a role in safety every hour, every shift and every day. It’s about raising the bar on our own behaviours, having open conversations on good and bad practices, and caring for and respecting our colleagues, families and friends.

“So if you haven’t intervened lately, please look into the system for this on your installation, be brave and hold your colleagues and leaders to account to do the same. Our lives depend on it.”

Next time you see people you don’t know, doing something you may not understand, don’t just walk on by. Be curious and show an interest - you never know, perhaps you’ll both learn something that will make the job safer, or even save a life.

See a Specialist

The Dilemma – When do we communicate, without interfering?

Over 10 years ago Gillian trained as a coach. She was also a founding member of the Association for Coaching in Scotland and worked ad-hoc in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. But going back to the early days, she went to art college. Well they do say you have three major career changes in your life!

QuestionsWhat are you reading just now?

– The “Good” Psychopaths Guide to Success by Andy McNab and Kevin Dutton

What’s your favourite place to visit or holiday destination? – I love NYC, but I’m an Aberdonian at heart and love coming home

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? – I lost both my parents last year and now realise that whatever they told me... they were right!

What’s your favourite TV programme? – The Mentalist – I’m a bit obsessed with human behaviours.

What are your hobbies? - At the moment I’m doing “couch to 5K” running training. Those who know me know I’m not built for speed, and to say I’m enjoying running would be untrue. What I do enjoy is getting outdoors, even the pouring rain, and feeling mentally alive afterwards (and physically exhausted!)

“I have never been on this particular site, but I’ll probably

be fine.”“This site looks safe; I don’t need

to ask any questions.”“I have done this complicated job many times before, nothing

will happen to me…”

“They have done this before, they are the experts… I don’t

need to intervene.”“These guys know what they’re doing – I’ll look foolish if I ask a

question.”“I don’t really understand the job,

this stuff looks very complicated…”

Do we (blindly) trust each other?

How can we make sureeveryone is safe?

Regular Crew Member Specialist Contractor

The 12 Life Saving Rules

4 We know our Shell procedures & practices

4 We know our site risks and our controls in place

6 We’re not fully aware of risks & hazards of specialist jobs or their equipment & procedures

6 We assume the specialist contractor has the proper skills to do his job

4 We have a deep expertise in our specialist skills & know our own equipment

4 We’ve our own procedures & practices

6 We’ve never worked at this site before

6 We don’t know the risks, hazards & controls at this site


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In the last issue, I pondered over major hazard awareness after a visit to Spadeadam. After the sessions where we witnessed the power of fires and explosions, we had discussed people’s understanding of Major Accident Hazards, their consequences, how we can raise awareness and what we can do to increase intervention. One of the groups had a really interesting discussion about taking your family with you to work, and this split opinions. Some people felt they would view the hazards, risks and consequences differently if they had family living on site with them. Others felt it would actually hinder performance. Did this mean that they knew they were taking risks or did they genuinely feel they would be too risk-averse with having family in such a hazardous environment? After the last piece I wrote in Tea Shack News, I considered how I can make my experiences and knowledge count; make it last and mould and shape me to do the right thing. Well, that conversation nailed it: I think I view people as if they were a father, a brother, a sister, a mother, a cousin or my best friend, regardless of who they are. Would I want them to take that risk? Would I be comfortable putting them into an environment where I had influence over the consequence?

Father, Brother, Sister, Mother?

• Too much salt in your diet may cause high blood pressure which increases the risk of heart disease and strokes.

• The recommended amount of salt per day is 6g.• Many foods are high in salt without any extra being added to them. One rasher of bacon

can contain 1g of salt and a serving of baked beans contains 1.25g. Other foods which are high in salt are cheese, salted crisps and nuts, ham and smoked meat and fish.

Snack Facts

Did you know >>

by Nikki Morris, HSEQ Advisor, Conoco Philips (UK)

PHOTO caption competition

WINNER

Are you sure you have a risk assessment for this job? Because I’ve not got on my PPE.

(Thanks to Walter Murray of the Gannet Alpha who came up with the winning caption)

(rescheduled from Aug): Step Change event – Asset integrity and hydrocarbon release (Aberdeen)

OCTOBER

30

2015JUNE

112015

NOVEMBER

24

P O J Q T V P A N W S I C C SE Z Y T I R O H T U A E O F IP L E Z M I A Y F Q C R N C GA O Q D G E A O Q M C U F G NV J E B N X T X M I Z D I B OR I S K A S S E S S M E N T FP U G W C I J O Y E P C E L EU U S A Z H L N T O L O D C LS L O T S A I A C I T R S E GM P C R T T D S F I I P P N AW Z O I G I E T V H D P A N IV C O M L K I S U H U N C L AL N E A I N R P T J A A E R OS J V P G S E O H O T W O R KI F V S P H K U W T I M R E P

WORD SEARCH

Workforce Engagement Support Team (WEST) event (Aberdeen)

NOVEMBER

26

event (tbc – Aberdeen)MARCH

5

2015

event (tbc – Aberdeen)

event (tbc – Aberdeen)

AUDITAUTHORITYCONFINED SPACEGAS TESTHOT WORKISOLATIONSLIFTINGPERMITPROCEDURERISK ASSESSMENTSCOPESIGN OFFSIMOPSVALIDATEWORKGROUP

Places on these events can be booked through www.stepchangeinsafety.net

Tea Shack News wants to hear your opinions on safety-related issues at your workplace. Send your comments and letters to [email protected] YOUR PART

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