DEVELOPMENT
Spotlight on Success: New Opportunities
Kieran Walker, Project Engineer
I joined the company in 2023 and work as a Project Engineer within the Industrial Cleaning Department, as part of the Shutdown Vessels Team on the Harbour Energy Contract.
My responsibilities include the planning and preparation of various turnarounds (TARs) and major outages across multiple offshore assets.
This year, I had the exciting opportunity to take my first trip offshore and I wanted to share a bit about the experience: How did you feel about going offshore for the first time?
Going offshore is something I have been eager to do since joining the company but I don’t think I have ever been so anxious about something in my life.
I arrived at the heliport and met up with the team I would be working with and straight away, both Norman and Jordyn were incredibly welcoming and really helped settle my nerves.
What advice would you give to any of our workforce that may be in a similar circumstance soon?
Embrace the opportunity. Whilst going offshore may come across as intimidating or scary, it was actually one of the best experiences I have had and gave me some incredible learning opportunities I wouldn’t have gotten just being in the office.
Level Up: Developing Our People
Altrad’s Elev-8 and Xcelerator courses are designed to strengthen our internal leadership pipeline by nurturing and developing high-potential operational talent. The programme aims to broaden our bench strength, ensuring a robust pool of capable individuals ready to step into future leadership and manager roles.
They were created to give our people the right skills at the right stage of their career. Each programme is built to deliver real benefits, whether that’s improving confidence in managing teams, learning how to lead projects effectively or developing the ability to influence at an executive level.
Employees can’t sign up directly as they must be nominated by their line manager, which ensures individuals are put forward for the opportunities that best match their role, potential and career progression. If this is something you are interested in, please speak to your line manager.
A Seat at the Table: The BINDT Council
Graeme Falconer, NDT Technical Manager has been elected to the Council of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT). The council serves as the governing body of the Institute, fulfilling the role of both board of directors and trustees. It is responsible for setting BINDT’s strategic direction, ensuring robust governance, and overseeing its work as a professional membership organisation and registered charity.
Let’s hear from Graeme: 99% of our technicians are qualified through BINDT.
“Being part of the council gives me a real opportunity to contribute to the Institute’s direction while also ensuring the voices and needs of working technicians are represented. For me, it’s about making sure certification, training and professional development reflect the realities of the job, not just the theory, and that our people are set up to succeed in the field as well as on paper.”
“I was initially sceptical about what I could gain from the Elav8 leadership course, but it far exceeded my expectations.
The course was an eye-opening experience that helped me better understand myself and how I interact with others. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to develop their leadership skills and build stronger working relationships.” - Scott Allison, Branch Supervisor
Triple Triumph: Industry Shortlistings
Altrad has recently received nominations from several respected industry awarding bodies. They reinforce our ongoing efforts to make a meaningful impact for our people, clients and communities, and strengthen our reputation as a trusted, values-driven organisation.
OEUK Awards
This event celebrates innovation and excellence in the offshore energy sector. We’re finalists in two categories:
• Neighbour of the Year: Recognising our commitment to ethical practices, sustainability and social impact. We’re honoured to be shortlisted for the second year running.
• People & Culture: Celebrating organisations that foster inclusive, supportive environments. This reflects our fiveyear culture transformation and the incredible people driving it forward.
We’re up against strong competition in both categories, with the awards ceremony taking place on 20 November at P&J Live in Aberdeen.
Engineering Construction Industry (ECI) Training and Development Awards
Organised by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), these awards bring together industry leaders and emerging talent to celebrate excellence in training and development. The prestigious ceremony takes place on the 6th of November in London.
We’re shortlisted in the Excellence in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) Award, a recognition of our belief that diversity fuels innovation and that an inclusive environment is essential for long-term success.
Take the Lead Awards
In Q3, we received a total of 64 employee nominations. Of these, the following were recognised specifically for demonstrating our values:
Apprenticeships: Fueling the Future
Liam Hoggart, NDT Apprentice Technician, was recognised at the first Lavender International NDT Apprentice Recognition & Awards. This event recognised the bright future of our industry, shaped by the passionate individuals who are already making their mark.
Liam was named winner of the positive attitude accolade for his resilience and can-do spirit. Since joining Altrad last year, Liam has consistently demonstrated exceptional attention to detail, particularly in his reporting, and recently completed his PCN Level 2 Magnetic Particle Testing course with distinction.
Liam’s achievement is a fantastic reflection of the hard work and dedication shown by our apprentices and teams across the business.
”Liam’s commitment and attitude makes him a real asset to the team.” – Stuart Gilfillan, Site Manager
In a surprise announcement, Altrad was also named Employer of the Year! We’re proud to be recognised for our commitment to apprenticeships, providing dedicated mentorship, meaningful learning opportunities and a safe, inclusive environment where future talent can thrive.
Safer Together Recognition Awards
Safer Together’s Recognition Awards congratulate excellent performance and outstanding efforts at any time of the year. 6 13 5 7 33
Fueled by DRIVE: A Look Back at an Inspiring Month
In September, we launched an ambitious calendar of DRIVE and HSEQ engagement activities across the UK. Over the course of the month, colleagues from every corner of the business came together to take part in a vibrant and varied programme designed to inspire, connect and empower employees. From immersive hands-on workshops and thought-provoking guest speaker sessions to dedicated wellbeing events, each activity was carefully curated to spark
meaningful conversations and foster a deeper sense of collaboration and shared purpose. Together, we didn’t just deliver our biggest engagement initiative to date, we created one of our most impactful. DRIVE Month 2025 was a true celebration of what we can achieve when we come together with purpose, and it’s a foundation we’ll continue to build on.
3 Guest Speakers, Endless Takeaways – Watch Now
Throughout the month, we had the privilege of hearing from three incredible guest speakers. Click the images below or scan the QR codes to watch their inspiring talks and relive the highlights.
Meanen Piper Alpha Survivor, One of the 61
Joe shared his personal account of the Piper Alpha disaster. His story of survival is a sobering reminder of the importance of safety, resilience and remembrance.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest rugby players of all time. His session explored the ethos behind high performance and how it translates into everyday professional challenges.
Anthony shared his experiences from reality TV fame to real-life advocacy. Through his project, “Never Throw In The Towel”, he’s helping men open up, connect and confront the dangers of silence.
Joe
Sean Fitzpatrick Former Captain of the All Blacks
Anthony Hutton Big Brother Winner & Mental Health Advocate
Safer Together Awards: Celebrating Our People
With over 110 nominations submitted for this year’s Annual Safer Together Awards, the passion, dedication and collaborative spirit of our people truly shone through. Each nomination told a story of individuals and teams going above and beyond to create a safer, more supportive workplace, a powerful reflection of our shared commitment to safety and care.
Shortlist filming has been underway, bringing the nominations to life through the voices and stories of individuals from across the business. Colleagues stepped in front of the camera to share their experiences and celebrate the achievements of their peers, helping to create powerful videos that will be showcased at the ceremony on 30th October at the Music Hall in Aberdeen.
VOICE
Hard Hats & Highlights: Site Visits Galore!
Site visits are essential for building a deeper understanding of the operational environment and the roles our colleagues perform, while ensuring they are kept up to date will company activities. These visits provide valuable context that enhances planning, communication and collaboration.
Our HR Business Partner, Vikki Piper, has been on a dynamic series of site visits and what an insightful journey it’s been. From NuFarm to ConocoPhillips, Teesside, ESSAR, Centrica and Norfolk, Vikki has stepped beyond the screen to experience our operations first-hand. These visits have offered a valuable opportunity to connect with teams on the ground, gain a deeper understanding of their work and see our impact in action.
Together We Thrive: Join Our Networks
Our Employee Networks are open, inclusive communities where everyone is welcome. Whether you’re looking to connect with others, share experiences, or simply learn something new, these groups offer a safe space to be yourself and feel supported.
No matter your background, role, or location, there’s a network for you.
Ready to get involved?
Click here or scan the QR code to find the group that’s right for you.
Onboarding Centre: Supporting Excellence from Day One
Earlier this year, we launched the Onboarding Centre at our Aberdeen facility, a dedicated space designed to promote a safe, inclusive and respectful culture that supports excellence in service delivery.
For employees, the centre provides a clear understanding of company expectations, available support, and practical learning to embed HSEQ principles. It ensures everyone is better prepared for offshore work, regardless of prior experience.
The centre helps our project and contract teams run with greater consistency, reduce incidents, strengthen understanding of HSEQ fundamentals and encourage consistent behaviours when representing Altrad. It also allows early intervention if individuals are not demonstrating the expected standards.
Clients benefit from improved platform safety, stronger team performance, trusted teams with solid HSEQ foundations and enhanced behaviours. The centre also contributes to a safer offshore environment and offers the flexibility to include client-specific content such as current campaign details.
ENGAGEMENT
Pushing Limits: NuFarm’s 3-for-3 Triathlon Challenge
This summer, colleagues from our Nufarm and Teesside teams set themselves an ambitious goal to complete three sprint triathlons in support of St Andrew’s Hospice in Grimsby.
In June, their journey began in Sheffield, continued through Windermere in July and concluded in Hartlepool in August. Each event pushed their physical and mental limits, but their determination and team spirit never faltered.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who donated, cheered from the sidelines and supported the team throughout their challenge. We’re thrilled to share that they raised over £1,400 for a truly worthy cause. Well done to everyone who took part, your efforts will make a real difference!
Now Live: HSE Engagement Scorecard
This competition is a performance measurement tool designed to encourage participation across all offshore assets and onsite locations.
This initiative is all about celebrating proactive engagement and driving continuous improvement in health, safety, and environmental practices with a scoring criteria in place. Not only that, there is also the opportunity to win a charity donation prize:
• 1st place - £750 I 2nd place - £500 I 3rd place - £250 Where did the Idea come from?
Back in 2023, our Apache contract introduced an HSE Competition that delivered strong, measurable results across the contract. Due to its success, we’ve now rolled out the competition across the entire business. This ensures equal opportunities for all employees, onshore and offshore, to participate and contribute to maintaining the outstanding safety standards we’ve set across all locations.
How will the competition be managed?
To encourage participation, contract teams will play an active role in promoting the competition and supporting monthly submissions from their respective areas.
A weighting formula has been introduced to ensure fairness across all locations, regardless of the number of personnel on board or on-site. This helps create a level playing field and ensures that all contributions are recognised equally. HSEQ Advisors will be responsible for inputting the submitted data into the system, ensuring consistency and accuracy in tracking performance.
Safe Weight Limit for Offshore Travel
The average weight of offshore workers in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) has increased to approximately 96.5kg, with 5% of personnel now exceeding 125kg. This rise presents safety challenges, particularly in emergency situations where evacuation and rescue equipment may be limited. HM Coastguard has advised that individuals above 124.7kg may not be safely winched from offshore installations.
To address this, OEUK has introduced a recommended weight limit of 124kg for outbound offshore travel. This limit is based on helicopter rescue capacity and aims to improve safety across the sector. The change has been communicated with offshore employee representatives and is supported by key industry groups including Step Change in Safety and OEUK, in which Altrad actively participates.
From 1 November 2026, individuals weighing more than 124kg will no longer be permitted to travel offshore. Until then, travel remains permitted for those above the limit
Roll out phases:
OEUK has developed a phased rollout to support the transition. The introduction and awareness phase will run from 1 November 2025 to 31 January 2026, followed by a transition phase from 1 February to 31 October 2026.
Mandatory implementation begins on 1 November 2026.
Support available to you:
Support and resources will be available to help individuals achieve sustainable weight loss if required
Altrad employees are encouraged to contact the Occupational Health team if they have concerns about the new weight limit or would like support with weight management. All enquiries will be treated confidentially and handled by the Occupational Health team.
Support is available exclusively to Altrad employees and can be accessed by completing this form by clicking here or scanning the QR code.
Alternatively you can email: AIS.OH@altrad.com.
Further details and guidance from OEUK and Step Change in Safety will be released from 1 November and shared with the business.