By Matthew Riding
General Manager – International
As part of our continued approach to raising the standard of safety and competency for offshore personnel, Programmed Marine is Step Change in Safety’s first agency affiliate.
Step Change in Safety is member-led organisation which brings together operators, contractors, trade unions, regulators, and the onshore and offshore workforce to work together to improve safety and effect change throughout the United Kingdom Continental Shelf oil and gas industry.
It is Programmed Marine’s dedication to the goal of Zero Harm that a collaboration with Step Change in Safety is so fitting. Providing superior global coverage to offshore personnel, Programmed is proud to be the first and only agency member.
Step Change in Safety has five steering groups and a dedicated workforce engagement working group:
- Asset integrity – the Asset Integrity Steering Group (AISG) exists to improve industry management of major accident hazards through promoting best practice and lessons learned.
- Simplification – the Simplification Steering Group focuses on the standardisation of offshore and onshore tool box talks, dynamic risk assessment and observation cards.
- Workforce Engagement Support Team – The Workforce Engagement Support Team exists to ensure leaders demonstrate effective safety leadership, and encourage the industry’s workforce to be engaged with safety matters.
- Competence and Human Factors – The Competence and Human Factors Steering Group focuses on the relationship between human action, competence and safety.
- Helicopter Safety – The HSSG addresses cross-industry issues around helicopter safety and works to strengthen confidence in helicopter travel. The group is a platform for sharing information, offering advice and encouraging lessons learned on cross-industry matters that directly influence safety. The group is also working to improve the passenger experience from the terminal to the tea shack.
- G18 – The G18 is a working group of elected safety representatives who have significant influence on Step Change in Safety’s activities. Since 2011, different members of the G18 have attended every Leadership Team meeting and speak on behalf of their colleagues on the issues which generate interest or cause concern. Their presence at these meetings is invaluable and ensures our activities are fully aligned with the workforce.
How Step change and Programmed Marine can drive mutual benefits:
- Programmed Marine plays part in the safety of all employees and field personnel within the oil and gas sector and can contribute by having significant input in what is discussed and implemented.
- It gives a platform to liaise with customers on a safety level that is consistent across all facilities.
- It provides an opportunity to communicate with all facets of the in the oil and gas sector as to how Programmed Marine is committed and focused to helping improve the safety of employees and field personnel.
- The agency perspective will now represent an active part in the steering groups that are run by Step Change in Safety.
- For the first time, agency operations will have full access to all safety tools including, good industry practices, guidance and publications, lessons learned and MAE understanding.
During April, Shane Gorman, the Workforce Engagement Co-Ordinator for Step Change in Safety visited the Programmed Marine office in Aberdeen to meet with Matt Riding (General Manager, International) and Mark McDonald (Snr HSEQ Advisor) to formalise the partnership and discuss common goals.
Matt Riding said joining Step Change in Safety marks a significant milestone in the provision of offshore personnel.
“With the global coverage that we hold, also comes a responsibility for Programmed Marine to continually raise the bar for the safety of our personnel and those with whom they work on a daily basis,” said Matt.
“To ensure that we continue to provide operational excellence to our customers, our day to day focus is on ensuring that we provide the most competent and safe personnel – something that we are extremely proud of.
“This is a focus that will continue as we see standards rise, however this marks a key step as we align closer with our customer processes and standards. Only with a seamless approach can we achieve the high standards that we, and the industry, will expect.”
Learn more about Programmed’s approach to safety!
