IAGC LAND GEOPHYSICAL SAFETY MANUAL Edition 9 ... - CGISS

PrefaceAll geophysical employees are responsible to themselves, their families, their fellowworkers, their employers and their clients to apply safe-minded, common sensepractices to all of their work habits. You should challenge and report all unsafesituations, incidents, accidents and near misses, whenever they occur, to yoursupervisor. For the purposes of this manual, Accident refers to any event, whichresults in injury, and /or damage, and /or loss (IAGC Consensus 1993). Incident (OGPreport 6.36/210 1994) is an event or chain of events, which has caused or could causeinjury, illness, and / or damage (loss) to assets, the environment or third parties.The quality of the geophysical industry’s work is dependent on our skilled andexperienced personnel. Accidents deplete this invaluable resource. We hope that useof this manual, compiled by the Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) Committee ofthe International Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC) and endorsed byvarious petroleum industry organizations and others, will lead to greater safetyawareness throughout the industry and to improved safety performance.This manual is designed as a guide for geophysical field operations. The collective,worldwide accident experience of many geophysical operators and their clients providesthe underpinning of the content, which has been organized in such a way that individualsafety subjects can be addressed at safety meetings and/or safety training sessions.We encourage all employees to read the IAGC manual and to become familiar with itscontent.We have attempted to make the manual as user friendly and as complete as possible.However, it is intended as a supplement to and not a replacement for, the internalsafety policies and procedures used by companies to deal with conditions andcircumstances present at work locations. All client companies, contractors,subcontractors and affiliated suppliers should have an adequate company HSE programin place. Further, companies are encouraged to conduct regular company HSE auditsas one means of identifying and eliminating hazards and of assuring participation andawareness of individual employees in the overall company HSE process.Geophysical operations are subject to legal regulatory compliance throughout the world.Consequently, companies throughout the industry are expected to comply with allapplicable laws, regulations and permit conditions while applying prudent operatingpractices and procedures in the conduct of their work.The IAGC Land Geophysical Safety Manual has been prepared and compiled throughthe best efforts of the IAGC staff, membership and other consultant parties. However,IAGC does not represent that this or any other edition of the IAGC Land Safety Manualis entirely comprehensive, accurate or covers each and every safety topic or risk, whichmay be encountered by those using this manual. The IAGC disclaims all responsibilityand liability for any such utilization of the manual by the users thereof. By receipt of theIAGC Land Geophysical Safety Manual, the recipient or user agrees to release,indemnify and defend the IAGC from and against any and all claims, demands andliabilities that may arise from the utilization of the manual by such recipients or users.Page 6 of 136