Environmental Response | #ECC2023 | Energy Continuity Conference

Environmental Response

Environmental Response is the process of addressing contamination of natural and human environments caused by various types of waste. EPA-established guidelines require companies to report hazardous substances and oil releases, and state and local governments may have additional requirements. The problem lies in the fact that response to such issues is often times complicate and difficult to navigate.  This is where pre-planning for know risks is vital.  What need reported if, how will we take immediate action when and who in the local environment needs to be notified.  Not that we expect these failures to occur, but when they do be prepared far in advance.

Oil & Gas Global Network “OGGN”

Texas Quality Assurance and the #QualityMatters podcast

Houston Young Professionals Network

Workplace Violence – Active Shooter | #ECC2023 | Energy Continuity Conference

Workplace Violence – Active Shooter

What is really going on with workplace violence and God forbid active shooter scenarios?  There are no shortage of ideas and theories, but there are some simple facts that are not disputed.  Workplace violence has its origins in the hearts and mind of people, people like you I.  Workplace violence is more common when the culture promotes hostility, or strongly suppresses it under the pressure that has built for years, hence the term “going postal”.  Winning the hearts and minds of our people, being aware of stress and pressure under the surface, and ready to respond when something or someone slips through the cracks is the key to preventing workplace violence and active shooter scenarios.

The first steps include employee screen and background checks, but we all know that these are not full proof, there must be a first incident for anyone.  The same skills and tools we use for workforce stability will be critical here.  Ensure as managers, owners, and operators you truly get to know your team members.  Ensure they are comfortable sharing troubles and concerns that are hampering their ability to person, and ensure you are investing back into their training and development.   

Development of a workplace violence response plan is going to be vital.  The plan should highlight what you can do to stabilize the situation, communicate with employees, and transition into recovery mode.  You may consider investing in armed security and/or select team members to deter someone who otherwise would seek to do harm.  No doubt solutions such as these prevent their own risk, and they must be reviewed and proper continency plans and efforts developed to maximize the benefit. Programs are also available to provide support and assistance for employees struggling with mental health and struggles at home.

At the end of the day the key is going to be to winning the hearts and minds of your employees by building trust and security and being prepared for the worst.

Oil & Gas Global Network “OGGN”

Texas Quality Assurance and the #QualityMatters podcast

Houston Young Professionals Network

Workforce Instability | #ECC2023 | Energy Continuity Conference

Workforce Instability

Workforce Instability has changed dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic and the following Great Resignation showed us all how critical an issue workforce instability is.  One of the most critical aspects of improving workforce stability is increasing employee productivity, morale, and retention. All these elements contribute to employee/worker satisfaction and our ability to build and grow the teams and culture necessary to stay competitive in such turbulent times as these.  Consequently, workplace stability can help employers improve the personal stability of their employees, creating a positive feedback loop.

In addition, a business can avoid workforce instability by promoting employees from within. By doing so, it can improve brand value, increase morale, and improve productivity and profitability. For example, if you have a low-wage employee, you might want to consider a temporary employee instead of hiring a permanent employee. Employee retention can be a difficult process, but it can help improve business results. Keeping employees happy and productive is critical to the long-term success of a company.

Our team members, both current and future, are looking to find more value and meaning in their work as well to be better valued and understood.  The soft skills of management have truly never been more important, valuable, and beneficial than they are today.  Sad but true, college education and on the job training does a poor job of teaching these skills.  New ideas, new methods, new training programs like the API Skills are going to be vital for building and training the workforce of tomorrow.

Oil & Gas Global Network “OGGN”

Texas Quality Assurance and the #QualityMatters podcast

Houston Young Professionals Network

Turnaround Manager | #ECC2023 | Energy Continuity Conference

Turnaround Manager

Managing a turnaround process is not always easy, but its possible. There are many different skills involved in this process and the success of the turnaround process depends on the people and management working on it. If you are the person who oversees the execution of the turnaround process, then there are some things you should know, especially when the project does not go as planned.

Human resources and workplace instability can be the Achilles heel of the project. Cost is considered the biggest right, but the costing process of a turnaround can be modeled using a bell curve and other commonly available tools and techniques. Initially, specialty skills are brought up slowly as units or vessels are opened and shut down. Towards the end of the turnaround process, the specialty skills start to diminish. Managers should review staffing levels frequently against schedule requirements and demobilize excess manpower to control costs.  Manpower shortage, and shortage of properly skilled and trained manpower can run the project off course quickly. As a rule, turnaround managers should have a contingency budget that is 10% higher than the budgeted amount. 

A critical component of turnaround management is the ability to communicate well and manage the scope. In fact, there are several common challenges that arise when managing a turnaround. The most difficult problem to overcome is the lack of dialogue between management and field supervisors. Senior management might allow major jobs to be added late. This presents an unacceptable risk to the project. Identifying problems and resolving them as early as possible is vital to the success of a turnaround.

Oil & Gas Global Network “OGGN”

Texas Quality Assurance and the #QualityMatters podcast

Houston Young Professionals Network