Safety spotlight onTees rig specialists

Mar 25 2009 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette

A TEESSIDE company’s work on dismantling the largest fixed oil platform ever to be removed from the North Sea has been under the spotlight from members of a leading industry safety forum.

The forum, which brings safety representatives working for BP and its sub-contractors across its UK and North Sea operations, met on Teesside to visit Able UK’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Able Seaton Port.

Says Able UK’s Health, Safety and Quality Manager Dr Mike Jasiewicz “We were delighted to co- sponsor the latest meeting of the BP Safety Representatives’ Forum and take the opportunity to let the forum members see the various projects now underway at TERRC.

“Clearly their interest concentrated on the recycling operations that we are carrying out on modules from the North West Hutton platform.

“In total we had over 50 forum members meeting with our staff and looking at our safety procedures.

“This kind of exercise is very valuable in as part of the general drive to maintain and improve industry-wide safety standards. Of course this is a two way process and I am delighted that some best practice has been shared both ways”

Adds Able UK Chairman and Chief Executive Peter Stephenson “We have a long and successful relationship with BP. In 2004 we were proud to receive the ‘Diamond Award’ for our work at the former BP Llandarcy refinery presented to the contractor judged to have contributed most in the areas of health, safety, security and environmental leadership, innovation and management.

“Welcoming the forum to Teesside enabled us to demonstrate that TERRC is a world-class centre for recycling all types of marine structures, including ships, to the best practicable environmental standards (BPEO) - underlined by the award of the North West Hutton contract and the selection of our facility by the US and French Governments for handling their vessels.”