In 2023, we launched our Safer Together Program – a safety initiative guiding how we work toward our vision of Zero Harm over the year. Each quarter, colleagues delved into one topic and spent time to develop a deeper understanding of the important issues they face at the workplace.
From teamwork and leadership, to showing care, managing risks and acknowledging mistakes
We kicked off the year with discussions around teamwork and leadership because we depend on each other at BW LPG to succeed. In the second quarter, we reminded colleagues that we care, and showed the many ways this care is manifested. We also focused on psychological safety at work and emphasized that mental health is just as important as physical health onboard at the workplace. In the third quarter, we learnt how to manage risks and hazards with barriers, and reviewed strategies on how to keep safe. In the final quarter of the campaign, we emphasized that it is normal to make mistakes, and a culture of transparency helps us to learn and improve, and grow our reputation and relationships.
We Are Safe Because We Speak Up
Making errors in our work is normal, and because it is normal, we must implement barriers to minimize possible consequences. How we respond to errors matters, and it is critical that leaders understand this and calibrate their responses. A harsh response from leaders to a team member who spoke up would reduce the likelihood of further interventions when a mistake is made, leaving leaders and teams to face the consequences.
All work environments have hazards. In our business of shipping cleaner-burning liquefied petroleum gas over long distances in the high seas, our work environment is particularly unique. There can be more opportunities for errors to occur compared to other work environments onshore, and this is safety is non-negotiable, and a corporate priority in everything we do. We put protective measures and controls in place to shield us from harm. For example, we have procedures to provide safe work guidelines, and all crew must wear personal protective equipment such as gloves, helmets and safety goggles where required. Employees are also trained to have the right competency for tasks they are required to perform.
Zero Harm Approach To Safety
As part of our Zero Harm approach, we provide an environment where colleagues can feel psychologically secure and are encouraged to speak up when they see something unsafe. All employees are empowered to issue Stop Work orders. We are safe because we dare to speak about errors, not because we do not have them. We want to talk about work done, both good and otherwise, without judgement. Good work allows for well-deserved acknowledgement, and all others are opportunities to learn and improve.
Every year, as one team across BW Fleet Management, we make approximately 450 revisions to work processes, procedures and our safety management system based on direct feedback from crew onboard. These revisions can be small requiring a few minutes of updates to the system, to big ones requiring a change in corporate position. For example, crew had provided feedback that some ship provisions were received in packages which were not alignment with statutory and regulatory requirements. To this, the Procurement Team sent reminders to suppliers to remind our partners on the importance of compliance. Crew had also flagged concerns over possible impact to watch and rest hours from changed job scopes onboard vessels retrofitted with LPG dual-fuel propulsion technology. This concern was brought to the Management Team, and a role was added to the engine team after extensive discussions. This demonstrates our commitment to take all feedback seriously, and as one team improve and work towards our vision of Zero Harm.
Sharing the Public’s Expectation for Safe Maritime Transportation
BW LPG has been delivering energy to world markets safely and sustainably for over 50 years, and we share the public’s expectations for flawless operations of our vessels. We are confident that close relationships flourish with transparent communication, internally amongst colleagues and externally with our stakeholders. We uphold the highest standards of integrity in all that we do, and this approach includes how we manage the safety of our employees and assets. We encourage all colleagues on shore and at sea to embrace the program and do our part for Zero Harm. Because our efforts will be repaid in personal growth, a better working environment and improved safety for all of us. Nothing else matters if we do not bring our team members home safely.
Keywords: HSEQ, health, safety, ESG, social, workplace, culture, values at work, safety culture, just culture, maritime, shipping, energy, LPG, sustainability
Read More
- Read our Q3 article on “Dealing with Risks”
- Read our Q2 article on “I Care About You”
- Read our Q1 article on “Safer Together: As Easy As ABC”
- Read about our approach to Health and Safety
