News Cuttings
IADC adds Asia operations unit based in Bangkok
IADC has opened a regional operations office in Bangkok, Thailand, staffed by Chit Hlaing, IADC’s new operations assistant – Asia operations. Mr Hlaing will serve IADC members and support association activities throughout Asia. Among his responsibilities will be coordinating operational functions, promoting accreditation programs and membership, and supporting conferences and chapters in the region.
A native of Myanmar, Mr Hlaing graduated with honors in 2007 from the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Mass., with a bachelor of science in electronics engineering. Previously he was an assistant QA engineer/technician for ABB Industry in Singapore and an instrumentation/sales engineer for SMART Technical Services in Yangon, Myanmar. He can be reached at the Bangkok office at +66-2-664-2790 ext 3 (chit.hlaing@iadc.org).
Additionally, Ken Fischer has taken on a new title and is now IADC regional vice president – Middle East & Africa. Among other duties, he will serve as liaison with Middle East and African members and chapters. Mr Fischer can be reached at ken.fischer@iadc.org.
Offshore Competency Training Programme revised
The IADC European Operations Forum Training Workgroup has issued Revision 10 of the IADC Offshore Competency Training Programme. It includes changes to class size, exercise groups and the height-of-water entry for practice drills. The latest revision can be found in the Offshore Competency Training Programme page on the IADC web site. The Training Workgroup met earlier this year in a meeting hosted by Seadrill in Stavanger, Norway. The next meeting will be held on 24 May in the Netherlands.
Rig Pass Review Panel approves curriculum changes
To ensure continued relevance to new-hires in the petroleum industry, IADC’s Rig Pass Review Panel has revised the Rig Pass Accreditation Program curriculum. Specifically, modules for general safety principles, materials handling and first aid were expanded, while a new wellsite environmental protection module was added. Additionally, an optional land endorsement module was created.
Emphasis on the employee’s responsibility for his/her own safety and the safety of co-workers permeates the entire revised curriculum, said Brenda Kelly, director of the IADC accreditation & certification department (ACD).
Curriculum changes are effective immediately for all new Rig Pass applicants. Currently accredited training providers must implement the revised curriculum no later than 1 October 2009. They must incorporate the new topics into their training programs and notify ACD staff of an implementation date.
In revamping the general safety principles module, panel members emphasized that today’s petroleum industry empowers employees to take a more proactive role in safety. The revised curriculum now contains a discussion of the authority given to employees to stop or intervene in unsafe work practices.
Also added was a discussion of job safety analysis/job hazard analysis. The discussion of items prohibited in work areas was expanded to include cell phones and other personal electronic devices, drug paraphernalia and other items.
The materials handling module was expanded to include a discussion of critical lifts. The first aid module was totally reworked and is now a module on first aid and employee health. Health topics regarding staph and other risks that may be associated with adverse weather conditions and local wildlife (i.e., alligators, bears, insects, snakes, spiders and scorpions) were added.
The new wellsite environmental protection module addresses waste management and wellsite environmental issues such as leaks, spills and releases. The new optional land endorsement module is designed for new-hires working onshore and will provide insights to issues unique to that environment. Examples include trenching and shoring, plus onshore environmental issues.
The previous Rig Pass curriculum was originally implemented in 2004 and contained 10 core safety modules, plus an optional offshore endorsement module that remains unchanged.
A copy of the new curriculum can be found online at www.iadc.org.
