The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas company (NLNG) says only a 100 per cent safety record could make its highest-ever performance recorded in 2017 appreciable, saying the management has therefore refused to celebrate on the grave of its workers.
Making the declaration in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, February 27, 2018, at a one-day Contractors CEOs Safety Leadership conference themed ‘Incident & Injury-Free Company’, the managing director and chief executive officer (MD/CEO) of the NLNG, Tony Attah, said it has become a rule that every person working in or for the NLNG must commit to a safety mantra of ‘See Something, Do Something, Say Something”.
Addressing the CEOs of companies serving the gasification giant, the MD said the NLNG achieved its highest every performance in 2017 but that this was dampened by the January 12, 2017 tragic incident that led to loss of life. Henceforth, he said, no such incident or any injury situation would be allowed to happen in the company.
Attah, while speaking to Chief Executives Officers of contractors’ companies at the 2nd Contractors CEOs Safety Leadership Conference, remarked that NLNG’s HSE focus is on Safety Leadership.
He said: “Nigeria LNG’s vision for this year is to drive Consolidation and Growth of our business through a strong focus on achieving Goal Zero. This can only be achieved if again, we all re-commit to the agreements we reached last year. Our HSE focus is on Safety Leadership, to ensure that systems are working instinctively to ensure that all personnel in our operations including our contractor personnel are kept safe at all times. Demonstrating care, promoting the freedom to speak up and respectful intervention will help us achieve this goal.
“The essence of this gathering is to repeatedly remind ourselves that we are all critical stakeholders with a common interest – to keep our business profitably afloat and all our personnel; safe from harm of any kind. To achieve this, NLNG’s position is that every personnel is empowered to say something or do something if you observe any threat to our HSE culture.
“We can only achieve this if we take a collaborative, all-inclusive approach today. Together, we can commit daily to an injury/ incident free workplace where every personnel takes safety personal and demonstrates care to ensure the safety of others,” he added.
Speaking to newsmen, he said; “We had the highest performance level ever in the life of NLNG last year, producing 21 million tonnes from a 22 million tonne-capacity plant. It was a fantastic delivery, with the support of our shareholders, directors, our communities, gas suppliers, and most importantly, our own people. They made it happen last year.” Despite this huge achievement, the CEO said tragedies and ugly incidents do not permit the company to feel good. He called on the stakeholders to repeat the performance feat but eliminate any form of fatalities this year and beyond.
In his remarks, the Deputy Managing Director of NLNG, Sadeeq Mai-Bornu, warned against all talk and little action, saying the conference series initiated by the NLNG for contractors is a serious action. He said “HSE Goal Zero remains the backbone of our operations in NLNG, and we always strive towards ensuring that no one gets hurt, no one dies and there are no leaks in our operations.
The conference featured two panel sessions, focused Safety Leadership and a participatory syndicated session titled “Injury and Incident Free Company: Work Site Hazard Management, Personnel Safety and Road Transport Safety” by the CEOs of contractors’ companies.
The conference ended with a signed charter by management of NLNG and the contractors’ CEOs where they committed to conducting regular site visits, interact with workforce on HSE and obtain feedback; lead HSE meetings, staff engagement and participate in toolbox talks; achieve an incident and injury free year in operations; create an enabling environment for all staff to work and return home safely; as well as empower staff say something and do something when they observe any unsafe act or condition.
Other commitments in the charter include demonstrate safety leadership and integrate care for people in the business; build a competent workforce through HSE campaigns, trainings, and worksite hazard management programmes; and recognise and reward staff contractors who have demonstrated exemplary behaviour towards achieving Goal Zero.
NLNG is owned by four shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC (49%), Shell Gas B.V (25.6%), Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France (15%), and Eni International N.A. N. V S.àr. l (10.4%).
Ignatius Chukwu
