BackDROPS FORUM - Aberdeen, 4th March 2009
Present:
Martin Clark ADC; Craig Watson ASCO; Mike Travis Baker Hughes; Derek Birse BOL; Andy Mann Chevron; Colin Park Diamond Offshore; Paul McKAY Diamond Offshore; Sandy West ADC; Andrew Ross Servtech; Steve Robb DSL; Stuart McKenzie Halliburton; Kevin Laing Helix; Neil Robertson HRAI Group; Donald Dobson HSE; Dave Richardson NOV; Bill Hamilton Rowan Drilling; Russell Ritchie Reel Group; Keith Little Servtech; Martin Leupen Shell; Debbie Mecklenburgh Shell; Nigel Shuttleworth Shell; Bill Bennett Shell; Sue Calder Silverdot; Allen Smith Silverdot; Greg Reid Silverdot; Chris Dixon Sparrows; Claire Rawlings Total; Ronnie Watt Total; Wayne Bradford Transocean; Christoffer Strom Transocean Norway; Neil Birnie Vetco; Dave Stewart Total; Darren Low Vetco; Kenny Leggat Transocean; Ian Parkhill Nexen; John Garden Smith Services; Niall MacPherson Smith Services; Andy Leslie Transocean; Robert Eaton Guest; Terry Savage Global Energy Group; Graham Todd Chevron; Craig Peattie Chevron; Lu Johnson Chevron; Jay Patel Atlas International; Les Wyness Talisman; Dougie Greig Seawell; Steve Morrison Weatherford; Mike Littlejohn Seajacks; Randy DeJean Helix; Alan Bremner Helix; Michel Tortelli Total; Sarah Smart RBG; Steven Henderson RBG; Marc Coull RBG.
Greg Reid of Silverdot opened the Forum. Around the room introductions were given and many new attendees were welcome, followed by a safety brief.
DROPS Update – Greg Reid, Silverdot
PACK SALES: 6 campaign packs sold since last report.
MEMBERSHIP: Delighted to welcome the following new DROPS members; Rowan Drilling, Wood Group, BJ Services, PetroCanada, Aker Well Services, CLS, AAK and Atlas. Two other companies considering membership at present.
NEWSLETTER: 23 new subscribers since last forum – total subscription now over 900. As agreed, there will now be two newsletters per annum (Spring and Autumn) but printed copies will also be included. Work is under way on the spring issue – if you have suggestions for newsletter content please let us know. As always, we are seeking member companies to assist with sponsorship. Email DROPS Secretary with enquiries.
STEERING COMMITTEE:
• We are pleased to welcome Total onto the DROPS Steering Committee. DROPS Forums:
• 2009 Forums will be held as follows: Tuesday May 26th in Norway; Thursday July 2nd in Aberdeen; Tuesday October 6 th in Denmark or Holland; and Wednesday December 2 in Aberdeen.
• For the remaining Aberdeen forums, the venue is changing from Norwood to the Marcliffe Hotel.
DROPS TRAINING:
• Two DROPS Training sessions have been held in Aberdeen so far in 2009. More Aberdeen sessions are being held in March/April and two sessions are being held in Stavanger in April. Aberdeen training dates are posted on website
SAFETY ALERTS:
• A number of Safety Alerts will be featured in today’s forum – full details posted to web thereafter.
• Also, the IADC “Drill Bits” Newsletter of February features three safety alerts – two of which are dropped objects. Visit IADC Alerts online.
• As ever, please send us details of any relevant safety alerts or flashes. Email DROPS Secretary with all safety alerts.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS:
• The annual campaign pack updates were issued to all members and subscribers. In a bumper issue, we included the “Working at Height” DVD featured at last forum (thanks to SGB) and the new UK Oil & Gas Cargo Handling Guidelines (thanks to Derek Birse). We also included all DROPS presentations, alerts and products developed in 2008.
• We are rationalising the campaign pack contents as a focus issue for 2009.
• We continue to work with Shell on the electronic version of the DROPS calculator – latest version released today for review.
• Our DROPS prompt cards were issued to all members/subscribers. Featured at last forum, they are intended to serve all workers as a pre-job reminder to consider potential dropped objects.
• Our “Snakes and Ladders” workshop / campaign is well into production and all Norwegian translation has been completed (thanks to all who assisted).
• Two new items have been recommended as Key Focus Issues for 2009. These are Guidelines for Secondary Retention Wire and the development of a standard and simple method of members communicating DROPS statistics to the Group. Both will be discussed later in the Forum.
• We have the necessary sponsorship, agreements and facilities in place to implement our Heliport Rogues Gallery but we are desperately seeking exhibits. Can your organisation help? Email DROPS Secretary.
GENERAL ENQUIRIES:
• Songa identified a dropped object incident resulting from a broken wooden handled hammer (part of a specific Tools at Height toolkit). They have recommended that all members consider eliminating wooden hammers in favour of a one-piece construction. The manufacturer/supplier has addressed this issue and replaced the item in their toolkits.
• Norman Marwick of Step Change contacted us to raise some observations. He appreciates much of the work done by DROPS and the products developed but he challenges us to show what positives we have seen. He sees little if any move forward in the identification and prevention of dropped objects. He believes the message is not getting to the sharp end, and he questions how we can change that. Feedback requested for during Open Floor session.
• Thanks to all who helped give BG tools advice on moving tools between working platforms.
• Thanks to all who responded to Transocean request for recommendations regarding possible alternatives to rubber for the extra protection against the protrusion of wires, hoses etc from saddles on top drives.
• Numerous requests for DROPS statistics, hence we are recommending a new Focus Issue to help deliver this information.
Lifting Operations (LECOP) – Claire Rawlings, Total
The presentation by Claire demonstrated various incidents that all happened during Lifting Operations. Some incidents involved dropped objects. These incidents led Total to implement a project to move forward and try to eliminate these. Competency, behaviours and procedures appeared to be a common theme. A brief overview of the statistics was shown. A course has been developed with NSL and is currently being rolled out. Claire will provide an update later in the year as this project progresses.
Bus Shelters – Wayne Bradford, Transocean
Brad gave an overview of the Best Practice of Red Zones that is in use. Transocean intend on developing a policy to ensure all rigs in the North Sea/Med area. The presentation showed minimum locations ie rig floor, moon pool; minimum requirements and photos of examples.
Follow this link to download the presentation.
Safety Clamp – Niall MacPherson, Smith Services
Niall gave an update on the clamps that have been discussed in previous forums. We were given a demo on a new clamp that is going to be trialled. An update will be given later in the year. Any queries, please contact Smith Services directly for more information – email j.garden@smith.com or n.macpherson@smith.com.
Gap analysis on DROPS Workpacks – Allen Smith
The current Campaign Pack is part of a Focus Group for 2009 and we are looking to update this. Allen ran through the contents of the current workbook. This workpack was developed as a guideline and we have much more information available now that should be incorporated. We are looking for input from members to help move this forward.
HSE Reported DROPS objects – Donald Dobson, HSE
Donald’s presentation was a brief overview of Derrick dropped object statistics that he retrieved from the HSE database. Donald broke them down into his own classification and then went on to give examples on both mobiles and platforms.
Follow this link to download the presentation.
Incident Review – Andy Leslie, Transocean
The incident was around a 35kg wooden crate lid that was dislodged in high winds and fell 6.5m, landing 2m from 2 personnel. This crate had just been checked for security 2 hours before the incident occurred. Rig specific Corrective Actions Plans are being developed.
Follow this link to download the presentation.
Incident – Dougie Greig, Seawell
The incident shown was where a Derrick Drilling Machine collided with the stand of drillpipe. The stand collided with a link-tilt protection bar, shearing the bar mounting balls. The bar weighed 4.25kg and fell 94ft to the drill floor. Nobody was injured as the drill crew were positioned in the Red Zone. Investigation findings included that the ergonomic layout of the controls was a big contributor. Corrective actions included sharing Red Zone procedure with all of the Seawell fleet, review secondary retention etc.
Follow this link to download the presentation.
DROPS sweep Captain Platform – Graham Todd, Chevron Graham showed a variety of slides. A 4” decommissioned spool 3.5m in length was found during a routine inspection of “open drain” work. This was a potential dropped object and nobody knew how long it had been left, unsecured at height. Appropriate procedures were followed to retrieve the spool safely; a further sweep of the platform was an agreed course of action. The other slides displayed more items that were found at varying heights and locations during this sweep.
Follow this link to download the presentation.
DROPS – Goals for 2009, Greg Reid, Silverdot
Greg ran through the Focus Groups for 2009 and again volunteers were asked for. If you can help, please let us know, by email to DROPS Secretary what team you wish to participate in.
The focus groups for this year are:
MAIN ISSUES
TRAINING Update. Mini-version. Original Group + Songa (Review Underway)
CAMPAIGN PACKS Update. Rationalise. Workpacks. (Review Team Required for Initial Review and Gap Analysis).
WEB & COMMS Rationalise Web and Improve Comms. (Original Group have Web Mapped).
AGEING ASSETS Awareness Campaign – Corrosion etc (Talisman Norway, StepChange).
QUICK HITS SEASONAL CAMPAIGNS and Ideas?
FOCAL POINTS All members Establish Focal Points and identify Links via web
ALERTS ON HAMMERS Solution Available. Communication required
DROPS CALCULATOR ELECTRONIC (now complete, see downloads section)
SNAKES & LADDERS CAMPAIGN Posters and Workshop In production (now complete, see downloads section)
NEW ITEMS : DROPS STATISTICS Method for members to communicate and share DROPS statistics (now complete, see statistics section)
SECONDARY RETENTION WIRE Develop matrix / table of grades and strengths etc Russell Ritchie, Reel Group