Oman LNG achieves 10m LTI-free safety milestone
Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman LNG has announced its achievement of 10 million man-hours without a single lost time injury (LTI).
The latest milestone highlights the company’s unrelenting drive towards establishing a culture of safety that is embraced by its people to guide efficient operations of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and export business.
The LTI is a measure of safety at the workplace. It generally refers to a work-related injury or illness that prevents a person from working on a subsequent scheduled work day or shift, said a press statement.
The nature of the global energy industry, with its key operations and functions often requiring the performance of delicate tasks that involve the handling of heavy machinery and chemicals by personnel, have drawn increasing attention to the need for safety in the business, and due care at the workplace to properly safeguard against harm to people.
“This is a major milestone which is exemplary to many of our companies. The whole oil and gas industry is working hard to protect their employees from incidents and to protect our environment. Achieving such a milestone is very encouraging to all of us in this sector. Safety is our core responsibility and it is a duty to our companies and families,” said Dr Mohammed Al Rumhi, minister of oil and gas, who is also the chairman of Oman LNG, in a note to staff and contrac- tors of the company, underscoring the magnitude of the safety in the oil and gas industry.
“We are very proud of this achievement. It has come as a result of hard work in promoting a culture of vigilance for safety in everyone including our contractors. Let us remember that we are not only celebrating numbers but celebrating the fact that we have maintained a safe work environment that ensures we all go home safe after each day’s work. This gives added comfort to all our stakeholders in our ability to sustain our excellent performance and continue to meet our obliga- tions responsibly,” said Harib Al Kitani, chief executive officer of Oman LNG.
Voluntary undertaking
Part of Oman LNG’s safety culture comprises emergency drills, crisis exercises, holding regular talks on safety within teams working on a project and periodic health and safety briefings for staff in general, bringing collective attention to potential threats and how these may be arrested before they materialise into real danger.
The company also encourages its people to submit an ‘I Will’ statement, a voluntary undertaking by staff and contractors on a personal effort directed at promoting safety at work place.
Beyond these, Oman LNG advocates a general mindset of ‘Chronic Unease’ as a safety policy to combat complacency, defined simply as a state of remaining fastidious regarding health, safety and the environment (HSE) that drives continuous improvement.
Its attainment of 10 million man-hours without LTI notably comes after a year in which it carried out an elaborate shutdown activity on its Train 2 — one of three production units — gathering an unusually high number of personnel, to carry out critical repair and maintenance of machinery that facilitate the liquefaction of natural gas. Such intensive activity typically has a much higher potential for accidents, if proper precautions are not put in place and consistently emphasised.
“This latest accomplishment reiterates Oman LNG’s strong commitment to HSE and its adherence to safe work practices. However, we must continue to take responsibility for our safety and those of our colleagues, remaining vigilant and chronically uneasy in matters of HSE. This will ensure our company remains a safe place for everyone,” said Jan Brouwer, Manager Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) at the company.
Plant in Sur
Oman LNG operates a three-train, 10.4 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) capacity plant in Sur. In 2009, the company launched its 12 Life Saving Rules, that sets out a simple and clear list of do’s and don’ts in activities with the highest potential for risk to safety, as a guide to employees and contractors in the delivery of their tasks.