SBM Offshore, which has built Guyana’s first oil production platform, on Wednesday observed its sixth annual Life Day event for the first time in this country, an observance that encourages employees to adopt a culture of safety.
Celebrated under the theme, “Choice”, the globally observed event was commemorated across the SBM community and by its partner organisations, including ExxonMobil Guyana.
A release from the company explained that Life Day is part of SBM’s LIFE365 programme, which seeks to increase awareness of health, safety, security and environmental (HSSE) issues across the community. On that day, employees in more than 40 locations worldwide cease work to take time to engage with the corporation’s HSSE specialists and to reconnect with the elements of the ongoing LIFE365 campaign, it was explained.
Through workshops and shared experiences, employees acquire new knowledge. It was related that for the local observance, two workshops were held on situational awareness and plastic in the ocean.
“The key focus of the programme is to protect life. Very simple. But extremely important. Every second. Every day, 365 days a year… The global Life Day event supports the company wide engagement on our shared commitment to never compromise when it comes to protecting life,” said the founder of Life Day, Erik Van Kuijk.
Herve Laurioux, Country Manager for SBM Offshore’s Guyana Operations, said that the observance gives them the opportunity to share the HSSE culture and to encourage workers to focus on what they do every day.
“…The choice that we make from the morning, when we wake up until we go back to bed. We make the choice to ensure that we stay safe… We need to stay focused on our HSSE and ensure that we take all the necessary precautions to work safely and to protect all of our personnel, assets, and the environment,” he stated.
SBM has built the `Liza Destiny’ Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading platform which was recently commissioned in Singapore by First Lady Sandra Granger.
Meanwhile, Production Manager of ExxonMobil Guyana, Mike Ryan, expressed appreciation with the observance, stating that it is beneficial for all stakeholders in the Oil and Gas industry. He said SBM Offshore and ExxonMobil Guyana share several core principles, including prioritising employee safety. “We have a moral obligation to protect the people that come onto our worksites. Their families loan our team members to us, to come work with us, and we have to take that responsibility very seriously. Common fundamentals, objectives, and goals are extremely important: Nobody gets hurt and no business objective will be pursued at the sacrifice of safety are key examples,” he said.
It was related that SBM’s Offshore Managing Director of Operations, Oivind Tangen, visited Guyana to observe the company’s first Life Day event in the country. In his address, he stated that encouraging a culture of safety remains a top priority of SBM Offshore in every location they operate, and that the corporation was proud to be adding yet another location to its annual global observance.
SBM Offshore N.V. is a listed holding company headquartered in Amsterdam, Holland. The release said that it holds direct and indirect interests in other companies that collectively with SBM Offshore N.V. form the SBM Offshore Group.
As of December 31, 2018, the Group’s companies employ approximately 4,350 people worldwide.
