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SUMMER EDITION
HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT MAGAZINE for Oil & Gas industry
Q3 2013
summer! It’s
Are you ready for it? page 4
In dit nummer:
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SUMMER, KEEP A COOL HEAD...
WORKING SAFELY SHOULD BE...
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PLODDING AND SWEATING FOR HSE
CONSCIOUSLY HANDLING SAFETY
SHELL SAFETY DAY
HEART FOR HSE
and more...
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Foreword
ARE YOU READY TO MOVE FORWARD? What does implementation mean according to the Van Dale dictionary? derived from the English word: to implement (complete, execute) 1. (in relation to a plan) to put a plan into effect 2. introducing a new system within an organization
We have a plan that we want to put into effect and which means introducing HSElife UNIO within the organization of the companies in the Oil and Gas Industry. We communicate about the idea behind HSElife UNIO in each organization. This idea is to make the Dutch Oil and Gas Industry the safest Industry. Because HSElife UNIO should be top of mind in everybody’s work. We ensure that Operators and Contractors will be provided with unambiguous information in order to work safer, healthier and more environmentally aware. In short: we harmonize rules and regulations. Therefore share your knowledge and experience on health, safety and environment with others in your organization. But also with other companies. Not only you increase your expertise but also your own safety, and that of others.
We are ready to take this next step in order to reduce the number of incidents in the industry in the years to come. Are you ready to move forward for Incident Free Operations?
On behalf of the The WAT Group Pier van Spronsen
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Summ keep a cool head for HSE! We often talk about it: constantly pay attention to health, safety and environment. Embrace it at work but also in your free time. Winter is behind us, but that doesn’t mean that the dangers have disappeared like snow before the sun now that we have summer in our head. Even though the elements that cause road hazards in winter are gone, in summer we may be less aware of (other) road hazards and of maintenance on the car. And what (other) dangers does working in summer temperatures involve? So: is working safely and driving safely also top of mind in summer?
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mer Keep a cool head in summer too. We want to help you to get through summer healthy and safely and therefore give some tips.
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SUMMER, KEEP A COOL HEAD FOR HSE!
On the road in summer Even though winter has made way for more grip on the road, make no mistake of the (other) dangers the summer weather involves. We naturally want everyone to be safe on the road to and from work. But also to be safe on the road to the supermarket or to a holiday destination and so on. For example did you know that roads may deform by summer heat? Or that the warm weather may cause fatigue and damage to the car? The car engine must work harder in hot weather. So make sure that it’s properly cooled. The braking system is often highly loaded during the holiday. Consider the camper or caravan you hitch up to the car. Did the brakes work worse? Replace them before you drive abroad. An unwritten law: checking the coolant and brake fluid. Your mood really doesn’t get any better from an overheated engine on a hot day. Hilly areas require more of the brakes. Also check the level of the washer fluid. We may be more concentrated on the road in winter because of snow, fog or sleet. In summer our thoughts may sometimes wander off and we might be less concentrated. Make sure you have a right attitude on the road and work on your awareness in order to have a complete picture of potential road hazards. You cannot imagine what will happen when you anticipate incorrectly to other people’s bad driving. Read more tips on hselifeunio.com.
Watch the movie “Texting while driving is extremely dangerous”
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SUMMER, KEEP A COOL HEAD FOR HSE!
Going on a holiday by car safely • Luggage in the car; be aware that you properly load the car. Stack the luggage well to prevent it from sliding and make sure that the driver always has a good view. • Plan the route; make sure you know where you’re going. At home check the route to your holiday destination, for example on Google maps, print it or rent a GPS system. • Wear your safety belts; make sure that all the passengers wear their safety belts and that children are properly seated in the child seat. • Comfort; as a driver, ensure that you are seated comfortably and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Do not drive in flip-flops, it’s very tempting to do so because of the heat but very dangerous! • Keep a safe distance; on the highway and on the back roads. Back roads are often single lanes and very busy in summer. Only pass if you are a 100% sure that it’s safe to do so. • Use the air conditioner; make sure you always rent a car with air conditioning and use it! It’s better to drive with the air conditioning on than to drive with the windows open. • Take a break; one time, stop (in the shade if possible) to stretch your legs and to have a drink, it’s recommended to drink a lot of water, especially when it’s hot! • Drink plenty; always make sure that you have a large bottle of drinking water in the car in case of a car breakdown. • First aid kit; so make sure you have some plasters, emergency bandages, adhesive tape, sterile gauze, iodine/betadine, paracetamol, a remedy for wasps stings, anti-allergy and other urgent medications. • Mobile phone; make sure it’s fully charged when you get into the car. Program the emergency number of the car rental in your phone.
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SUMMER, KEEP A COOL HEAD FOR HSE!
Working
in summer temperatures Working in high temperatures may cause damage to your health. For example, the risk of health problems increases in physically demanding work, poor physical condition, high humidity and solar radiation. The temperature at work should not be detrimental to your health and safety. In the heat concentration is falling which increases the chances for accidents. Especially in the Oil and Gas industry it is often in the detail that we encouter hazards and where attention and concentration is essential. Especially production processes, climate situations associated with the workplace and personal protection equipment can then cause additional problems. In addition, heat may be extra troublesome for some people. This is especially true for people with lung or heart disease, people with diabetes and people who use medications for antihypertensive. They have an increased risk of health problems when they work in summer temperatures.
SUMMER, KEEP A COOL HEAD FOR HSE!
Specific issues for working in summer temperatures Before you start working • Do not drink too much coffee (caffeine increases fluid loss) • Protect the skin from burning (for example use sunscreen)
During work • Take plenty of intervals for drinks in a cool place and do not wait until you’re thirsty • Keep an eye on each other • nWatch out for loss of concentration (absence, sweating, tiredness) • Protect the workplace from direct sunlight
Specific issues supervisors • Make sure there is enough to drink • Take individual complaints seriously
The employer must take action, but you can also take action to keep a cool head and to take care of your health and safety. For example reduce or avoid strenuous exercise. Take frequent breaks, preferably in a cool environment. Also remember that there is a risk of dehydration while working in high temperatures. So drink plenty of water. If you can’t drink at work, use a sports bottle. Please note that the sports bottle opening doesn’t become contaminated with hazardous substances. Additional contributory factors include respiratory protection and nonvapor permeable clothing. Provide good air cooling or other additional measures. Read more tips on hselifeunio.com.
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WORKING SAFELY SHOULD
EATING OR `Safety is something that should really be inherent to your nature,’ says Charlotte Kneefel. `If you only follow procedure, your safety awareness may fade away. And in a minute, an accident may occur. Money is something you can earn back, but a life is forever lost.’ Charlotte Kneefel is a Life Cycle Engineer at Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM). `We’re talking hearts and minds here, it’s all about human behavior.’
WORKING SAFELY SHOULD BE AS NORMAL AS EATING OR BREATHING
BE AS NORMAL AS
BREATHING “SOMETIMES, MISTAKES ORIGINATE FROM THE DESIGN AND THAT’S WHY IT’S SO VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FOCUS ON SAFETY AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE DESIGN PHASE.”
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WORKING SAFELY SHOULD BE AS NORMAL AS EATING OR BREATHING
INFLUENCE ON SAFETY “At the very start of the designing process of a well, you can already influence the safety of the drilling tower and the following oil or gas processing. Mistakes sometimes originate from the design and that’s why it’s so very important to have a focus on safety at the very beginning of the design phase. But only if you have personally experienced rig operations, you’ll know what you’re talking about. For this reason, I would have every new colleague spend time working at the rig before starting working at the office. The Well Engineer training is a very thorough trajectory in which during the first 2,5 years you work at a rig for two weeks, followed by four weeks off the rig. This well site experience provides you with hands on practical knowledge and an insight in the HSE reality at the front lines.”
THROUGH CONSISTENCY IN DESIGN YOU CONTRIBUTE TO WORLDWIDE SAFETY.’ CONSISTENCY IN DESIGN “During the off rig periods, you follow Well Engineering courses at Shell University, concluded with the worldwide recognized exams Round I and II. Only after having gone through these exams and the rig period you are allowed to work at the office as a Life Cycle Well Engineer. In this position, you design new wells and support the rig in the realization process. But you also pay attention to contracts, performance, supply chain management etcetera. After concluding this period, you return to the rig, now in the position of drilling supervisor. This educational trajectory ensures an equal level of well designing worldwide. Therefore, through consistency in design you contribute to worldwide safety. Perhaps this isn’t the first safety aspect that springs to mind, but standardization reduces the possibility of making mistakes.”
WORKING SAFELY SHOULD BE AS NORMAL AS EATING OR BREATHING
MANY DISCIPLINES “There are so many technical aspects involved and you cooperate with many different disciplines, like geologists and production technologists. During the design process, you have to deal with insecurity and risk assessment. That is why peer review is important to us. The critical view of others brings improvement to your work and reduces the chance of making mistakes. But you have to be careful not to retreat in the ivory tower of the office and most of all, keep listening to the man on the shop floor.”
BY PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT THE CONTRACTORS HAVE TO SAY WE GATHER USEFUL FEEDBACK FOR IMPROVEMENT.
SPEAK YOUR MIND! “It is important to ask our own employees as well as the Contractors what they think could be improved. During the past three years, 80 lethal accidents occurred within the oil and gas industry worldwide, and 77 of them were Contractors. That is why NAM facilitates the yearly Contractor Safety Day, where the Contractors are in charge of the agenda. We don’t mind showing our vulnerability there, because we feel it’s essential to communicate with the Contractors is an open way and to listen closely to what they have to say. Equality and trust are the base of communication. It has to come from both sides. The Contractor’s feedback is extremely valuable to us. They know exactly where danger lures. Bottom up safety planning leads to visible improvements for the people who do the real work. This way, the Contractors feel more connected to safety. For instance, they indicated that Shell HSE policies should not become too complex and that they would like to have a say in those policies. After all, the safety on the rig is what it’s all about.”
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WORKING SAFELY SHOULD BE AS NORMAL AS EATING OR BREATHING
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN INFLUENCE ON THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF OTHERS.
PUBLICIZING SAFETY “If you want to stay ahead of incidents, you’ll have to do more than simply following procedure. Safety should not just be an add on but should be an intrinsic part of daily work activities. It is important to publicize the safety feeling every day and again and to share your knowledge with others. This way, a safety culture will arise that will help us in our strive for Goal Zero, working without incidents. The management has been indicating clearly that safety comes above all and that you should intervene or stop work activities if you think that’s necessary. It is always difficult to intervene. But you should realize that by doing so, you can have a big influence on the safety and health of others. You don’t want to think about having been able to prevent an accident if only you would have dared to intervene. Accidents soon happen.”
ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION “Within our industry there are a lot of older employees who will retire in the near future. They will be replaced by younger, less experienced people. Then it is even more important to keep a focus on safety. Young people have a different view and they are curious. Apart from that, it will always remain important for everybody to pick up the weak signals and not to trust their routine. There is a word for this: “Chronic Unease”. It means that even when safety performance is good, we must keep on asking ourselves questions like “what have we possibly missed and what more can we do?”
WORKING SAFELY SHOULD BE AS NORMAL AS EATING OR BREATHING
YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE AND OF VALUABLE EQUIPMENT. NO DIFFERENTIATION IN THE CAREER PATH OF MEN AND WOMEN “I think it would be good to get a better balance in the number of male and female employees in any organization. The more diverse the team is, the more diverse their view on HSE will be. Feedback on this topic made it clear to me that this diversity enhances the focus on safety. We would like more female colleagues to join us. If more female Technique graduates are aware of this job opportunity, I expect that there will be more interest. It’s a job with many aspects. Not only in the 24/7 operational environment but also in the well designing activities at the office, where you work together with geologists, production technologists, seismologists, completion engineers, reservoir engineers, petro physicists , safety personnel, etcetera. You have a responsibility for the safety of people and of valuable equipment. We’re talking about a role women could wonderfully perform. I truly hope that in the near future, more women will see the wonderful opportunities the Oil and Gas Industry has to offer them. There is enough flexibility for family planning. Moreover, the career path runs swiftly and in it, there is no differentiation between men and women.”
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HEART FOR
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“As an industry, anything you invest in safety will always be profitable,” says Gert-Jan Windhorst. “It will always be to our advantage.” Gert-Jan Windhorst is NOGEPA’s Secretary of Operations, Health and Safety.
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HEART FOR HSE
“Investing in safety is not only a wise thing from a moral point of view, but also from an economical point of view. If you do ten things right and nevertheless one thing goes wrong, for instance because of cost reduction measures, you lose the ten positive points in one blow. By putting a lot of effort into safety improvement, the Operators in the Oil and Gas Industry show responsible management. It is one of the building blocks with which we have come this far as an industry. But there’s always room for improvement. Every accident is one too many.”
INCIDENT FREE OPERATIONS “It doesn’t have to be that accidents are “inevitable”. This is why it is of great importance that we as an industry keep striving for Incident Free Operations. With this goal in mind, with the right measures we can tighten up our procedures in order to prevent future accidents. In my opinion, Incident Free Operations should be theoretically feasible and I think we’re getting closer. Notwithstanding the many safe operations, we sometimes are being confronted with the harsh facts when an accident takes place.” “For instance, a couple of weeks ago a lethal accident occurred in which two employees lost their lives. This was the first lethal accident in eight years. A big difference compared to the figures in the past. In view of the enormous number of working hours within the oil and gas industry, the total number of accidents in the past decade has been remarkably low.” “Internationally speaking, many more lethal accidents occurred at the beginning of the eighties. Since then, a lot has changed during the years. In my experience, it is now very noticeable that company management and operational management handle safety issues with much care. Those people are highly motivated. On a board level, the people responsible are very concerned with safety. This is a token of maturity of an organization. Other industries should follow this example.” HIERARCHICAL LAYERS “In striving for Incident Free Operations, the most important base is the will of all employees to handle safety issues in a coherent way in order to reach a highly developed organization. A better corporate culture will arise, containing less hierarchical layers, so that people feel free to express themselves and address each other regarding unsafe behavior. Moreover, there will be less miscommunication. For misunderstanding or counterproductive processes resulting in gaps should be banned.”
HEART FOR HSE
“Something big can cause an accident, but sometimes small things can cause them, although in themselves they pose no danger. In these cases, the combination of several small things going wrong lead to the accident. Ten different, small mistakes may contribute to that one accident. You can try to confront these hazards with barrier thinking.” “In my opinion, you should see the way the work is organized and the way it is being executed as a combination of company processes which should run synchronically. If these processes are not robust enough or if it’s a mess on the shop floor, the chance of accidents occurring increases. That is why I think that in striving for Incident Free Operations, we should make progress in all processes simultaneously.”
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HEART FOR HSE
HARMONIZATION “Within the industry, NOGEPA is one of the pillars for harmonization. Personally, I’m very much in favor of this. Anything we can develop and harmonize together will be to our mutual advantage. Three or four years ago, there wasn’t enough agreement within our industry to be able to jointly take on this process. It’s a good thing that a number of Operators have now joined HSElife UNIO. This is a commendable initiative. HSElife UNIO offers a very useful harmonization platform in order to be able to offer unambiguous information to the Contractors. I also noticed that the various industry stakeholders encourage each other with enthusiasm to join HSElife UNIO.” “Not all Operators have joined HSElife UNIO. Probably not because they don’t agree with the HSElife UNIO concept, but because joining implies the choice for a particular way of working. In the end, the Operators themselves know best why they should or shouldn’t join HSElife UNIO. In my opinion, we at NOGEPA should leave the choice to our members. At this moment, NOGEPA mostly functions as a platform where HSElife UNIO participants can inform non-participants.”
HSElife UNIO offers a very useful harmonization platform in order to be able to offer unambiguous information to the Contractors.
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THE NATIONAL OIL & GAS INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR PROFESSIONALS
Press Room
DIGITAL MEDIA KIT The companies in the Oil and Gas Industry use various means to elaborate on the implementation of HSElife UNIO in their organization. The digital media kit is one of those means. The information in the media kit is meant for overall communication purposes about the unique initiative HSElife UNIO. With this the companies actively approach various media. Think of newspapers,trade journals, news sites but also Den Helder Airport. The media kit includes background information on HSElife UNIO. Other products for external communication purposes that you find here are: • Introduction movie on HSElife UNIO • Press release • Article ‘Unique collaboration Oil and Gas companies for zero incidents’ • HSElife magazine special edition • Poster • Flyer • Banner • Add
ENHANCING THE MESSAGE Not only the staff of the Operators and Contractors should fully embrace HSElife UNIO. We also want to bring our message across to the Dutch society. With this, we not only enhance our message in the organization of the companies, we also want a fundamental belief that everyone should contribute to safe working. Our message: share your knowledge and experiences on health, safety and environment with others in your organization. But also with other companies. Not only you increase your expertise but also your own safety and that of others.
CHECK THE MEDIA KIT >
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John van Schie of the NAM and Jürgen Joosten of Centrica are back in school because they follow the Master “Management of Safety Health & Environment (MoSHE)” at TU Delft. In this edition and next editions of HSElife magazine you read their blog where they share their experiences with each other. You read their view on the training, the future of safety and ... other business.
PLODDING AND SWEATING FOR HSE
Hello Jürgen, Here is a message from your fellow student “Management of Safety Health & Environment (MoSHE)”. We are already well on the way in our study. After all five of the nine week blocks are behind us. And do not forget the premaster we have also followed together. In these blocks I got a lot of information that I can use straight away in my daily work as a Team Leader HSE for the Land Asset of the NAM. This practicality keeps my motivation high. I also feel that it’s actually a tough load beside work. The assignments we get between the module blocks take a lot of time. This results in spending less time with my family and on my hobbies. Fortunately I get all the support and encouragement from the home front. However, the amount of mileage on my racing and mountain bike this year is much less than in previous years. I now try to do some more running in between homework so I can work fast on my condition in a shorter period. I sense that it helps to stay sharp. The last five study blocks included stakeholder management, risk management and performance management. I find it most interesting when the teacher interacts with the group. This challenges me and because of mutual discussions you find out how other companies work. Generally I find the level of the teachers pretty good. Still the organization of the study needs improvement. Our representative talks about this with the organization and I hope it will have effect. The next module is about Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship. What can companies do to make profit in a way that it will not be at the expense of people and the environment (People, Planet, Profit)? Of course it’s all about what we can do as a SHE professional on this subject within our organization. We have been in touch with each other a lot in recent weeks. But we haven’t really talked about your motivation to start this study. This I would like to know from you. Two years ago I finished the study Higher Safety Science. In my thesis I did research on the safety culture within the NAM. The study and this thesis further increased my passion for the safety field. What came next was that I felt I wasn’t ready. I want to get even more involved in health, safety and environment. In time I would like to play a decisive role in this field. I think the MoSHE study is the right basis for this. I chose resilience/resistance as a provisional topic for my graduation thesis. I would like to do research on whether organizational resilience can further improve the safety performance of the NAM. See you soon. Greetings, John
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PLODDING AND SWEATING FOR HSE
Hey John, Thanks for your message. I totally agree with you. We face a lot. I thought I had already built up quite a bit of knowledge on safety and the environment, but more and more I get the idea that I actually know very little. Strategy development by using the mission and vision is certainly new. Because of this I get a very different conception of my own company, Centrica Production Netherlands plc. For example, I had never read our annual “Corporate Responsibility Report “, but because of the assignments we get from the MoSHE study you want to learn more. The only thing I need now are days of more than 24 hours. Because I definitely agree with you, where you put all of your free time in all those sports kilometers, I can no longer excercise my biggest hobby: reading. I do read, but practically no more suspense novels now. Rather some dull school books. That is still somewhat disappointing now and then. Furthermore, I agree with you that your private life suffers a bit from this. Fortunately they understand, but when you’re away from home again for a week, they do miss you. Fortunately, there are all these new technologies and you can Skype in the morning and in the evening with your home front. Or post messages on Facebook. It certainly does a lot of good to the smallest at home, the youngest is four. Yes the life of a student is not an easy one ;-). But what am I waffling about, you asked for my motivation. Hmmm, let me think. Well actually it’s not that difficult. Last year my direct supervisor Ronald Pijtak left for Aberdeen. He is “HSEQ Operations Manager” there now. A mouthful, but it can better be described as the person in charge of Safety and Environment of all operating regions of Centrica Energy Upstream. His former position of HSEQ Manager for the Dutch region was released. An excellent opportunity for me to get promoted. Fortunately, others agreed with me. I realized that it takes more than just my background. Besides the right knowledge, managing a department and establishing a strategy is not something I have gained much experience in during my previous positions. The MoSHE study is in line with this, it’s a broad study. I could immediately put into practice modules like Risk Assessment and Performance Management & Planning. Similarly personal development. I definitely think I will benefit from this study. Overall I am very pleased with the study, teachers and guest lectures. What I like most are the discussions with fellow students. They come from completely different industries. For example a brewery, chemical plants, Royal Navy and the Dutch Safety Board. Other ideas, and in my opinion a different safety level. What do you think? Especially considering your graduation thesis. How do you see our industry compared to the others? Good luck on your homework. Greetings, Jürgen
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CONSCIOUSLY HANDLING `As a Plant Manager, you want everybody to get home safely after work,’ says Hanneke Holtman. `You don’t want it on your conscience that someone gets hurt under your watch or because of your actions.’ Hanneke is Plant Manager with NAM at the Grijpskerk underground gas storage facility. `We manage safety actively. To me, it’s very important to try and influence people’s behavior in such a way that they all have the same approach to safety issues.’
SA FE TY
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CONSCIOUSLY HANDLING SAFETY
Right mentality “I think everybody at NAM has the right mentality regarding working safely. I’m also a great adversary of recording everything. Recording how you will perform your activities and afterwards, how you actually have. I’m very critical about this. The work just has to been done correctly.”
Safety Room “According to our safety policy, we have a Safety Room at our location in Grijpskerk. Before anything, all new employees get specific instructions in the Safety Room. We use HSElife UNIO brochures and video presentations not only during these specific instructions but also during normal work activities. Sometimes we pay special attention to specific subjects, such as Benzene or the LMRA. We do this not only with new colleagues but also as a refresher course for groups or people working at the location for a longer period of time. Or when there is a change in working procedure.”
I think HSElife UNIO is a great initiative.
“In the Safety Room, HSElife UNIO brochures are present for everybody to take. Our own personnel as well as the Contractors make good use of that opportunity. In communicating with the Contractors, harmonization is of the utmost importance.
That is why I think that HSElife UNIO is a great initiative, because from within all Oil and Gas Operators, we supply a jointly, unambiguous flow of information. Many Contractors work for us on any given day, while the next day they work for another Operator. Supplying unambiguous information to them makes them handle safety more consciously. I have a very positive feeling about that.”
CONSCIOUSLY HANDLING SAFETY
“In my opinion, continuously striving for Incident Free Operations is what we all should do. If you don’t believe in the feasibility of zero incidents, you will never achieve that goal. I do believe in zero incidents. You need to work strictly and take the time you need. This is also why LMRA is so important, because it enables you to take a step back and then move forward again from that point.”
We don’t want to enforce the rules, but we want to explain to our people why they are important. Awareness “The main thing is for everyone to be aware of the dangers and risks. On location, we get a lot of professionals. They know the rules & regulations and the risks of their job and of working at our installations. Nevertheless, we keep on stimulating their awareness of these elements. We don’t want to enforce the rules, but we want to explain to people why they are important, and why they also have a responsibility for the safety of others. By attentive leadership, behavior will change. This is the same kind of awareness we want to achieve by using our Safety Room, mutual interaction and by talking with our location personnel.”
Men – women “The Oil and Gas Industry is a men’s world. I had already gotten used to this during my HTS Engineering studies. Nonetheless, I have experienced that Oil and Gas Industry workers display a positive attitude towards women. For instance, they all accept the fact that I only work 4 days a week and that I’m a mother of two. So I like my working environment very well. This is also due to the fact that I have completely integrated. I’m one of them. Sometimes I notice that some of my male colleagues need time to get used to me, but once they know what makes me tick, everything is fine. During my studies, a retired NAM employee once gave a guest lecture. Because of this lecture, my interest in the Oil and Gas Industry was aroused. I subsequently did my graduating project at NAM and half a year later, I started working there. Starting as a First Assignee, then as a Junior Production Supervisor and after that in several Maintenance and Operations positions. I never once got the feeling that I had to do more to prove myself than any other, male co-worker. As the only female, you get noticed so when I go places, people tend to know me. Fourteen years ago, when I started working in the field, I was the only female in a technical position in that area. And I still am. Within the Oil and Gas Industry, there are very few women working in a technical position within the Operations Departments.”
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HSE LIFE
TM
4 STEPS AND
THE FUTURE 1 2
STEP
STEP
THE RESEARCH
THE DEVELOPMENT
Several years ago, the initiators of
Together, the operators have decided
HSElife UNIO started their research on
to put their combined effort into the
why accidents and mistakes occur.
maximal harmonization of rules and
Their conclusion: the industry agrees with
regulations on HSE. By doing this,
HSElife UNIO upon the thought that
they concentrate on supplying their
the harmonization of rules and regulations
employees and the Contractors -Onshore,
within the Oil and Gas Industry is essential
Offshore and Office- with unambiguous
in the strategy of achieving Incident Free
information. Moreover, unambiguous HSE
Operations. In the e-zine HSElife magazine
information also offers the opportunity to
-the driving force behind HSElife UNIO-,
save time and money.
we have published the industry’s opinion on harmonization. In this chapter, you can read a number of those opinions.
STEP
5
THE FUTURE
We strive for an industry in which heal
in perfect harmony and where all perso
vision of the future, the theme of HSE
culture with the aim for Incident Free
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STEP
3
4
STEP
HSElife UNIO
DE IMPLEMENTATION
HSElife UNIO is a multi channel
We communicate the thought behind the
communication platform which is being
HSElife UNIO harmonization trajectory
used to distribute the information
as widely as possible. We inform
on harmonization initiatives of the
Operators and Contractors on how to
participating operators. Through HSElife
apply the HSE documentation to their
UNIO, we facilitate the development,
daily work. This is crucial in preventing
optimization and communication of
unsafe actions and situations which
standards, best practices and important
can lead to personal injury, pollution or
HSE information throughout the whole
material damages.
industry.
Want to know more? Read HERE the special edition!
lth, safety, environment and optimal performance are
onnel are persuaded of the importance of HSE. In our
E will be completely imbedded in a new organizational
e Operations in the coming years.
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Shell Safety “I’m convinced that Goal Zero, working without incidents, is feasible,’ says Jos Hartman. As a Safety Specialist UIO Europe at Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM), he was responsible for organizing the Shell Safety Day Europe, which took place on 19 June 2013.”
SHELL SAFETY DAY
Day “From the many reactions, we gather that this has been the best Shell Safety Day ever. Perhaps this was because we had organized this day differently from previous years. One of the main issues within Shell Group was to improve the connection between our office workers and our people in the field. So that our people at the office get a better idea of what they can do to improve safety in the field. After all, we don’t want any incidents at all in our activities. After work, we want everybody to get home sound and safe.”
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SHELL SAFETY DAY
Field trips “From our head office in Assen, we have organized a number of field trips for our office personnel, among others to the chemical and geological laboratories. Many of them had never been there, although these laboratories are located close to the head office. In the geological laboratory, important soil surveys are being carried out, in which cuttings and soil substances are being analyzed to determine if any gas is present. In the chemical laboratory, product is being gathered and analyzed.”
“We also organized a 10 kilometer bicycle tour, at several places crossing the route of the pipeline which is currently being put in place between the underground storage at Norg and the gas transfer station at Sappemeer. This is a very big project. The pipeline has a diameter of 1,2 meters, a length of 30 kilometers and is being put in place in such a way that it will eventually be completely out of sight. At three ponts along the route, chapter and verse were being given. Thereby we not only focused on safety, but also on the environmental aspects of this project and the preparatory meetings with, among others, the many landowners in order to be able to start and finish this project.” “The office people were very appreciative of these field trips. Their reactions show that they have been pleasantly surprised by all they have seen. According to general opinion, these kinds of field trips should take place more often. Moreover, I feel that the connection between field and office could be more efficient, with shorter lines.’”
SHELL SAFETY DAY
HSElife UNIO “Apart from the field trips, a kind of market was being held at our head office in Assen. In one of the stands, Pier van Spronsen and Veselin Raznatovic of the WAT Group presented the HSElife UNIO initiative. HSElife UNIO appeared to be already known among our personnel, who were very interested in the latest developments.” “In fact, HSElife UNIO is the successor of A Way of Living, originally developed by Shell/NAM in cooperation with the WAT Group and exclusively being applied within our company. Although we have tried to integrate A Way of Living within the organizations of other Operators, we did not succeed. In view of the fact that several Oil and Gas Operators have joined HSElife UNIO, we decided to join as well. This year, A Way of Living will be disseminated to HSElife UNIO.” “The good thing about HSElife UNIO is that in a very understandable way, it provides clear, unambiguous information on safety, health and environmental issues. HSElife UNIO documentation for Contractors has been made transparent and easily accessible. In order to promote its visibility within the industry, it is important to get everybody acquainted with HSElife UNIO. Harmonization is in everybody’s interest and we make an effort to contribute to it.”
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SHELL SAFETY DAY
Uniformity “It is really essential for information on safety and health to be offered to all Contractors no matter for which company they work in the same, uniform way throughout the whole industry. Unfortunately, we haven’t come that far yet. Through the years, every Operator has developed their own ways of working and ideas. Those are all slightly different. We must learn from each other, adapt each other’s ideas and learn to accept that another Operator is capable of designing and conceiving great ideas as well. The syndrome of What’s not Invented Here is Not Good Enough is still bothering us. I would wholeheartedly urge everyone to put that syndrome aside.” “In my opinion, NOGEPA should pressure the Operators to do more regarding harmonization than they do now. We as Operators should be more open to that. Surely, we have made good progress compared to five or ten years ago. I’m confident that in the end we will succeed, but we haven’t reached that point yet.” “The most important step we have to take, is to make everybody aware of the fact that ours is a hazardous industry. Both office personnel and field workers should be alert to potential danger. We really do our best to create this awareness in everyone and encourage them to confront each other on difficult or unsafe situations. This is exactly why the connection between office and field workers is so important.”
Goal Zero “The Shell Safety Day plays an important role in creating more safety awareness. On this day, we at Shell Group have the opportunity to share our thoughts on health, safety and environmental issues. Like last year, the central theme this year was Time for Safety. Apart from that, this time we had a sub theme called Goal Zero: No Harm to People, No Leaks to the Environment. This way we emphasize our wish to achieve a zero incidents way of working.” “Obviously, we’re dealing with a dangerous industry in which people do the work. Moreover, other factors are in place such as unexpected situations, bad weather or simple bad luck. But if everybody is on their guard and tries to keep an open mind, I’m convinced that Goal Zero is feasible. In my job, I always do my best to convince others of this. Goal Zero can only become a reality if everybody really believes in it, you see. Therefore, we must continuously promote our goals and those of HSElife UNIO everywhere possible. Repetition empowers the message.”
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State oF
Mindfulness First and foremost, I wish to thank all of you for the great feedback you gave during my presentations on 8 and 25 April in Huizen. Even if you didn’t say anything. Your attention and concentration said more to me than words ever could.
Once again, during my preparation and the presentations themselves I became aware of the similarities between “your world” and mine. Between you as Centrica employees working at or near a production platform, and me as trainer/coach/DJ. There aren’t so many differences: mindfulness and an attitude of concentration are key words. Whatever you do, if you do it with 100% involvement and commitment, unity will arise. You become one with the act. In other words, subject and object become one and the same. And during the Centrica days, this feeling of oneness was noticeable.
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But unity within a group, a family, a friendship or a relationship doesn’t just happen by itself. We need to take off our masks in order to achieve this. We need to forget who we think we are and surrender to the moment. If everybody does that, we are on common ground. We go with the flow. And that is a good feeling. A flow arises. A practical example that I mentioned in one of my presentations: sometimes I catch myself being in a hurry. You can see the rush I’m in in my actions, for instance in the way I walk. The moment I become aware of being hurried, I deliberately slow down. Slow down to speed up is your creed. Literally as well and figuratively, I want to embrace this creed. This is why during the trainings I give, I regularly practice walking deliberately. Step by step, we walk slowly through the training room. We walk with a beginner’s mind. Exactly the way we all once learned to walk as a baby. By doing this, one of the most basic things in life suddenly turns into a challenge. One of my students once said: ` All of a sudden, just walking has become a totally new excercise. It makes me very aware of the present moment.’ When we practice this regularly, after a while we realize that we can make the choice to leave all thought behind and to walk around totally relaxed. In this very same moment however, we can be very concentrated. This state of mind gives us peace and awareness of the things around us. Obviously, all external impulses are still here, but we get more control over them. We observe what happens and where, and we don’t allow being sent from pillar to post. Every now and then, people attending my courses are feeling very stressed at the beginning. They tell me that they feel as if from all sides they are being pulled away. There are a lot of things they have to do. Because their family wants them to, their bosses, their friends and, last but not least, they themselves want them to. In these cases, I tell them to go and do one thing, preferably a very trivial thing, with as much attentiveness as they can muster. Peel an apple, do the dishes, read a book, wash the car, clean their house, make music, go for a walk. And practice to be very consciously doing this, which in the beginning appears to be very difficult. In my presentations at the Centrica days I have explained a little bit about the thinking model I use in my trainings which is also very suitable to apply to the real world. The model clarifies the way our brain handles digested and undigested experiences and the way this influences our view on the world and how we manage it. Recent scientific research shows that our conscious thinking, i.e. the way I communicate with you through this column and how you digest this information, is able to process approximately 45 bits per second. When we read aloud, the processing speed decreases to 30 bits per second and when counting, we can process about 4 bits per second. Try counting the number of objects within your immediate surroundings. Ergo, processing speed depends on the task at hand. But, PAY ATTENTION NOW: how much are our senses and our subconscious able to process per second? Within our subconscious brain, we can process about 11,2 million bits per second!!!*
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When I read about this, it was really an eye opener for me. Because this means that if day in and day out, every week, for months and year after year, we allow ourselves to be bombarded with information coming to us through internet, texting, what’s apping, twitter, facebook, email, phone, radio, tv, newspapers, magazines and conversations, our brain will indeed be overloaded. Which means that within an increasingly span of time, our knowing subconscious has to process an ever growing amount of information. Now that’s an accident waiting to happen. The effects? Insomnia, burnout, crankyness, concentration loss, etcetera. The computer locks down. Luckily however, we have a choice. Not an easy one, I have to admit. But all beginning is difficult, until you consciously experience the positive effects of living and working mindfully. Then you will find that for the greater part, you can be the director of your own state of mindfulness. * Source: Ap Dijksterhuis - The Knowing Subconscious
REMEMBER ST - O - P’s Step back - Observe – Proceed Remember the following 10 points of advice: 1. Time management 2. Introducing breaks 3. Becoming aware of tension 4. Saying no: setting boundaries 5. Asking for support 6. Relax 7. Counting breaths 8. Developing awareness: learning to see the same thing differently 9. Concentration and focus 10. Recognizing yourself in the other
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for industry, by industry HSElife is a forum for those working in the petroleum and natural gas industry. HSElife focuses particularly on those working wherever HSEW is really an issue or really should be an issue: on the shop floor. HSElife magazine is published by: The WAT Group B.V. P.O. Box 23 7380 AA Klarenbeek The Netherlands +31 6 462 95 25 6 (7, 8) www.thewatgroup.com On this issue worked Thera Idema, Marjou Janse, Marcel van Spronsen, Veselin Raznatovic, Ramon Roelofs, Pier van Spronsen, StÊphanie van Stockum, Janine IJssel de Schepper, Bob Janssen, Marc van Baasbank, Paul Schilperoord and the Members of the HSElife UNIO Steering group: Piet van Dam, Ronald Pijtak, Jan Jager, Sietse Wijnstra, Gerard Burgers, Sander Floore, Rik van der Zee, Felicia Wolting, Edwin Harteveld, Frits van der Wilt, Mark Been, Marc Kloppenburg, Ronny Ali, Jurgen Joosten and Ben Waardenburg. Please e-mail any comments about subjects discussed in this magazine to info@thewatgroup.com attn. Janine Ijssel de Schepper. Articles may not be taken from this publication within the meaning of Article 15 of the Netherlands Copyright Act.; Š The WAT Group B.V. 2013