Customized Security Eases Work In Unfamiliar And Difficult Places

Anyone who has traveled through central Asia -- or “flown” virtually via Google Earth -- can see why many armies throughout history have been stymied by the rugged terrain, remoteness and the lack of roads. Other regional hazards may include threats of abduction, illness and military activity.

But now, the world’s search for energy is drawing more members of the international oil and gas sector to challenging parts of the world such as this one.

Making wise choices about where to work and not to work, and the correct safety precautions, is important for any company in the oil and gas sector wanting to get its share of promising prospects while also managing the risks appropriately.

Just as pipeline constructors develop safety protocols around areas such as welding or venting a section of the line, they need to develop and apply safety procedures around traveling and working in difficult places such as Mexico, Colombia, Nigeria and central Asia.

Yet there are too many companies that rely on the experience or gut feel of their senior people, or on recommendations from their country’s external affairs department. The result may be illness, injury, kidnappings and fatalities.

As a 7,000-person company with global operations, Golder Associates has done its share of learning regarding health and safety in difficult places. From our roots in Canada in 1960, some of Golder’s earliest international projects were in Egypt and Greece.

In those early years, decisions on travel to difficult parts of the world were often made by the team leader, based on personal information and experience – and for some, the challenge of the project and a love of adventure.

But as Golder’s clients asked the company to provide services in more areas on the globe, it became clear that a more formal process was needed to keep employees healthy and safe during travel to and from these locations, and while working.

Customize Plans For Each Individual
Consider an employee normally based in South Africa, perhaps with experience in diamond mining, called upon to work on a diamond prospect in Canada’s Far North. While someone from Canada might be familiar with how to protect against cold, the person from South Africa might need to be taught about recognizing signs of frostbite. A Canadian working in South Africa, by contrast, might need to learn about personal safety against being car-jacked or mugged, threats not common in Canada’s Far North.

Accordingly, Golder has developed a procedure that involves a pre-trip risk assessment. These assessments are prepared by each individual, so they can catch all the risks that the team leader might not know – such as dependency on medications like insulin, so that resupply can be planned for in an emergency.