By Kirsten Bank Christensen, Vice President, Group HSEQ

A2SEA’s Fit for Future programme calls for increased focus on HSEQ performance. To deliver on our ambitions, we’re introducing the concept of decentralisation – a powerful driver for complete HSEQ integration in the company.

Spreading the word

Typical HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment, Quality) agendas can often feel like a top-down, centrally communicated set of intentions and ambitions, most often ending up in piles of documented procedures and policies to be followed by those employees who “get the job done”.

While setting up such standards and procedures is necessary to handle the majority of risks, it’s far from best practice when it comes to integrating HSEQ into day-to-day planning and operations. Given our constant focus over recent years, A2SEA’s HSEQ efforts have already surpassed such an elementary level.

But there’s another key principle of best practice HSEQ that is still in the early phases of its implementation within our company: the principle of Decentralisation. This rather ‘management-speak’ term is about to lift our safety culture to the next level. But what’s it all about? And what does it mean for our colleagues, our clients and our HSEQ performance?

Closer to the action

It’s simple, really. Decentralisation is about having HSEQ experts participate more closely in day-to-day operations with colleagues who are planning or carrying out installation and maintenance projects.

A good example of decentralisation is that, instead of physically grouping HSEQ people together in the usual departmental style, we will be spreading them out across the entire A2SEA organisation – placing them right where the action is happening.

For example, our DPAs (Designated Person Ashore) will move to sit right alongside colleagues working with vessel management. This way, they can be constantly aware of what’s going on well before being formally briefed – and they’re able to contribute to procedural or regulatory issues far earlier in the planning process.

Dialogue is golden

Similarly, our lifting supervisors know the value of being close to the action. Instead of just standing in a central vantage point from which they can monitor and direct operations, they are just as often seen walking the deck, in amongst the action, listening and watching – and talking directly with colleagues as they perform their work.

Both sides appreciate the closer interaction, providing, of course, that advice is given and taken with care. You might say that decentralisation enables an HSEQ community in which we coordinate mutual activities and thrive on active feedback from colleagues – both in casual and more formal contexts.

Decentralisation also enables HSEQ experts to share real-life examples to a greater extent, making the principles of HSEQ far clearer for everyone involved.

It’s a great way to integrate HSEQ into everything we do – often more effective, it can be argued, than regimented training sessions. That’s because this form of HSEQ integration is driven by dialogue between people working together. And close, peer-to-peer dialogue is the essence of human interaction and knowledge transfer.

Hands-on HSEQ

Whatever we’re doing, we always need to think “Safety First”. By having HSEQ specialists located across A2SEA, it becomes more natural and easier for people to seek advice, even if it’s just for a minor question.

The exchange of knowhow isn’t time-limited, for example, by how much can be discussed during a formal two-hour meeting. And the more daily dialogue there is, the more each employee learns about HSEQ in their work.

Decentralisation will also benefit projects by creating even stronger relationships between HSEQ representatives and, for example, the tender and contracts department. The ability to contribute knowhow to early meetings attended by tender and contracts colleagues as well as the site manager turns safety into a much more dynamic and mutual effort.

Clearly, a stronger safety culture provides additional value to our clients, for whom, like us, a squeaky-clean safety record is the Holy Grail for every project.

More to come

Decentralisation is a highly effective approach to strengthen our safety culture. But it’s only one of a number of moves now being made as part of our new Fit for Future programme.

For example, steps are being taken to create a shared foundation for HSEQ between A2SEA and its cable contractor subsidiary CT Offshore, with the same safety culture and basic principles – although, of course, procedures will vary at a project task level. Synergies and transfer of knowledge will be in the spotlight, enabling each business area to learn from the other’s experiences.

A2SEA’S FIT FOR FUTURE PROGRAMME

In January 2014, A2SEA launched a new strategic, organisation-wide initiative designed to equip the company to continue to lead the offshore wind installation market in the years to come.

Fit for Future is based around 7 leadership principles and introduces structural changes to bring A2SEA even closer to the needs and priorities of our customers.

 

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