'GIVE PRIORITY TO SAFETY IN OIL INDUSTRY' PAGE 18,AUGUST 24

STAKEHOLDERS in the oil and gas industry have been urged to work together to minimise the hazards to people in the industry and the environment are.
  Former head of Health Safety and Environment(HSE) at shell Ghana Limited,Mr Charlse Tuffour,said this at the maiden fire safety day celebration of the Tema Lube Oil company Limited(TLOC). The event was on the theme,"Zero accident is possible"
   He indicated that "allthough zero accident may not necessary meansafety is in place,redefinition of safety as a quality and performance criteria would go to reduce hazardous consequences."
  While commending management of TLOC for developing a safety day programme,he underscored the need and commitment on the part of oil and gas managers to put to into consideration the protection of natural and human resources,as well as their community of operations.
   The Health Safety and Environment co-ordinator of the company,Mr Godfred Ansah Nyarko,said that the issue of safety was a non negotiable and non replaceable one,hence the need for employers in the sector to safe guard employees whom he noted were institutions' vital assets.
  "It was in this light that TLOC as a major player in the industry has developed modules aimed at ensuring accident-free incidents in its opeartions,"he said.
   "The launch, he further said also clearly demonstrates the company's commitment to refocus on environmental protection as it embark on a journey to attain the International Standardisation Organisation certification ISO180001-2010."Mr Ansah Nyarko noted.
  He bemoaned the lack of behavioural safety awarness among workers whom he said often demonstrated  careless approaches to the issue and charged them to reorient their perceptions towards improvement of safety standards in their operations.
  The Tema Regional Commander of the Fire Service,Mr Gilford Tetteh Adams,lauded the company for the initiative and charged competitor institutions in the metropolis to emulate the step taken by the TLOC,saying"we all need safety education in all our endevours."
  The Managing Director of the company,Mr Samuel Tetteh Anguah,who chaired the function,noted that several institutions had over the years compromised the safety of their employees at the expense of proft margins from their operations.
 Some employees who distinguished themselves in safety performance tasks over the period under review were presented with awards.