Safety First, Always: Lessons from an Offshore Medic
At the end of this month, 28th April, it is World Day for Safety & Health at Work where the focus is on creating and promoting a positive health and safety culture to help reduce the number of work-related deaths and injuries.
It serves as an important reminder, for ourselves, our colleagues and our contractors, of what HSE truly represents: ensuring that everyone returns home/to their cabin safely at the end of the day.
HSE is not about taking the enjoyment out of work, nor is it about making tasks unnecessarily difficult or time-consuming. Instead, HSE procedures and paperwork exist to encourage us to pause before undertaking potentially hazardous activities and to consider the wider impact – on ourselves, our team and our environment. Ultimately, they are there to protect everyone involved.
We all know the marine and offshore sectors are not for the faint hearted and certainly have high risk factors, however, the industry has made significant progress over the past decade. To gain a broader perspective on how HSE practices impact crew members, we sought insight from someone with a unique vantage point: an offshore medic.
Anne Hutchins has worked as an offshore medic for over 10 years with companies including Fugro, DOF and Solstad. Working closely with HSE teams on a daily basis, she has witnessed firsthand the evolution of safety practices and cultural attitudes across the industry. One of the first things she emphasised was the noticeable and encouraging shift towards a more positive safety culture.
10 years ago, the primary focus on many projects was completing the job as quickly as possible. In some cases, contractors were even incentivised to cut corners and accelerate timelines – regardless of the potential consequences. If this approach resulted in injury or operational issues, individuals were often dismissed with little to no meaningful HSE follow-up or investigation. There was far less emphasis on documentation and accountability, and issues were too often “brushed under the sea-carpet”.
While some argue that these outdated practices still linger, Anne believes that it is the persistence of this mindset among certain workers that creates resistance to HSE progress. She emphasises that collaboration, “teamwork” is key.
“The best projects and best crew are the ones that work together and have a team mentality. It is important to remember that everyone is of equal importance – you are chosen for a project for a reason” says Anne.
For a project to be completed safely, it is essential that all crew members share a common understanding of what HSE means for both themselves and the vessel. There should be no divide in mindset between project teams and end clients; ultimately, everyone is working together towards the same goal – delivering the project safely and returning home to their families.
The most effective HSE procedures Anne has witnessed over the past decade, which have made a significant difference, include:
- Giving an HSE presentation to get all crew on the same page. Everyone attends – no matter what team/client. If you are on the vessel/project – you attend.
- Demonstrating lifesaving equipment to all crew, together. Everyone is responsible for this equipment.
- The ethos of Communicating, Collaborating, Contributing. No hierarchy, just pure teamwork and communication.
- Creating a positive culture on board. Anne says the vessels that had a ‘family feel’ emitted inclusivity and growth amongst crew. Balance was found when the crew spent time together…” there would be karaoke and safety quizzes with prizes the captain would go out of his way to supply because he wanted to.”
All these factors contribute to a consistent and well-aligned team across all stages of the project – from initial boarding and crew changes through to completion.
Of course, there is always room for improvement. While the ultimate goal is zero incidents on every project, achieving this requires steady, incremental progress. Anne believes it is important to continue challenging outdated mindsets, while also promoting greater linguistic inclusivity. She notes that aspects of the English language, such as the use of double negatives, can be confusing for non-fluent speakers which highlights the need for clearer communication across international teams.
Anne also reinforced that HSE is about following procedures for the greater good. By doing so, individuals are not only better protected, but also more connected to their crew.
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Useful Resources:
In the UK, the primary health and safety regulator for the offshore wind sector is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which enforces the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The industry also relies on the G+ Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation, which partners with the Energy Institute to coordinate safety standards and publish industry best practices.
The International Regulator’s Forum Offshore Renewable Energy Sub-committee focusses on offshore renewable energy infrastructure health and safety regulations and provides the sharing of leading practice and innovation in regulation of the offshore renewable energy sector.