HR faces complex challenges in high-risk ... - International SOS
HR faces complex challenges in high-risk ... - International SOS
HR faces complex challenges in high-risk ... - International SOS
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RISK MANAGEMENT PSN CASE STUDY<br />
www.thehrdirector.com<br />
CASE STUDY<br />
<strong>HR</strong> FACES<br />
COMPLEX<br />
CHALLENGES<br />
IN HIGH-RISK<br />
ENVIRONMENT<br />
ABERDEEN-BASED PRODUCTION SERVICES NETWORK (PSN) HAS PUT TOGETHER AN <strong>HR</strong> PROGRAMME WHICH RESPONDS TO SPECIFIC<br />
CHALLENGES BY ASSESSING THE RISK TO EMPLOYEES IN ANY GIVEN SITUATION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN EMERGENCY PLAN TO COPE<br />
WITH EVERY EVENTUALITY, FROM WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS TO NATURAL DISASTERS.<br />
There can be few more <strong>complex</strong> <strong>challenges</strong> for the modern <strong>HR</strong><br />
executive, than those posed by ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g a constantly mov<strong>in</strong>g<br />
workforce <strong>in</strong> the <strong>high</strong>-<strong>risk</strong> environment of the oil and gas<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry. As well as the <strong>risk</strong>s <strong>in</strong>herent <strong>in</strong> the production of <strong>high</strong>ly<br />
flammable materials, employers work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> this sector must also<br />
negotiate the pitfalls of send<strong>in</strong>g workers <strong>in</strong>to unfamiliar and<br />
often politically sensitive, even dangerous, areas.<br />
This, comb<strong>in</strong>ed with the enactment of the UK’s new<br />
corporate manslaughter legislation, has <strong>in</strong>creased the pressures<br />
on those responsible for the safety and wellbe<strong>in</strong>g of employees.<br />
PSN, an <strong>in</strong>dependent <strong>in</strong>ternational service contractor to<br />
oil and gas production companies, is one of the top ten<br />
privately owned bus<strong>in</strong>esses <strong>in</strong> Scotland and has a global<br />
workforce of around 8,000 employees <strong>in</strong> 23 different<br />
countries. Of them, around 3,500 will, at any time, be <strong>in</strong> a<br />
situation which demands careful <strong>risk</strong> assessment and<br />
emergency plann<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
“an effective track<strong>in</strong>g system”<br />
For <strong>HR</strong> director Dean Hunter, that means ensur<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
workforce is prepared for work<strong>in</strong>g environments as diverse as<br />
Kazakhstan, sub-Saharan Africa, Vietnam and the USA.<br />
"What we have found is that it is important not<br />
only to do all the plann<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>risk</strong> assessments<br />
before the staff go to a country, but also to have an<br />
effective track<strong>in</strong>g system <strong>in</strong> place so you know where<br />
all of your people are at any given time," he says.<br />
"Once we have people <strong>in</strong> the country, we check<br />
proactively every day so we know what is happen<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
whether there are new and specific <strong>risk</strong>s and, if so, what<br />
they are.<br />
"If someth<strong>in</strong>g is flagged up to us, we can work with our<br />
clients to ensure they are always kept safe."<br />
In striv<strong>in</strong>g to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> that aspect of control and stay<br />
ahead of any potential <strong>risk</strong>s, PSN uses <strong>International</strong> <strong>SOS</strong>, the<br />
world’s lead<strong>in</strong>g provider of medical assistance, <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
healthcare and security services.<br />
Hunter cont<strong>in</strong>ues: "We tend to work hand <strong>in</strong> hand with<br />
companies like <strong>International</strong> <strong>SOS</strong>, and use their people on<br />
the ground who know the area. That knowledge cannot be<br />
underestimated.<br />
"We have seven core values, and numbers one and two<br />
on the list are safety and people. But we also put a <strong>high</strong><br />
value on localisation.<br />
"If you are go<strong>in</strong>g to manage <strong>risk</strong> then you must have a<br />
local approach. And we avoid th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g that we have all the<br />
solutions for all locations, just because we have worked <strong>in</strong><br />
the North Sea for 30 years."<br />
Under the new legislation, employers will also need to<br />
have taken every reasonable and practicable step to ensure<br />
their employees’ wellbe<strong>in</strong>g and nurture a safety culture <strong>in</strong><br />
the workplace.<br />
And, accord<strong>in</strong>g to Dr Neil Nerwich, medical director<br />
of <strong>International</strong> <strong>SOS</strong>, that makes it even more important<br />
that companies like PSN have all their systems <strong>in</strong> place<br />
with all the relevant data on security and medical<br />
implications; <strong>in</strong> some cases this has to happen before an<br />
employee even takes up a role, or jo<strong>in</strong>s the company.<br />
"Before you send someone to work, or live and<br />
work, <strong>in</strong> any environment, you have to ensure that certa<strong>in</strong> key<br />
questions have been asked and answered," says Dr Nerwich.<br />
"It’s important to have a look at the site where they are<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g, the closest medical facilities and access to your<br />
32<br />
the<br />
<strong>HR</strong>DIRECTOR – DECEMBER 07