STOW Pilot begins: SMEs sign MOU with STCIC for Grant Funds for STOW Certification
L to R: Keina Calliste, STOW Project Assistant, STCIC; Natalie Reece-Sarkar, STOW Project Coordinator, STCIC; Dr. Thackwray Driver, CEO, STCIC; Mr. Colin Augustus, Managing Director, Special Consultants, Oilfield Rental, Equipment (SCORE) Limited; Mrs. Rhonda Pantin-Mitchell, Mitchell’s Professional Diving Services; Ms. Kristall Sanayhie, HSEQ Manager, Kennicon Engineering Limited; Mr. Jim Hurst, HSE Director, Hull Support Services Limited and Mr. Nazamudin Mohamed, Managing Director, Kennicon Engineering Limited
On 17th December 2009, the South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Commerce (STCIC) signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with four (4) energy service companies to formalize the terms for them to participate as beneficiaries under the STCIC’s Safe TO Work (STOW) pilot programme. As a beneficiary, each company will receive a substantial grant to be utilized towards certification to the STOW Minimum Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) Requirements.
Kennicon Engineering Limited, Hull Support Services Limited, Mitchell’s Professional Diving Services and Special Consultants, Oilfield Rental, Equipment (SCORE) Limited are the first companies to participate in the pilot of STOW.
Starting January 2010, the Beneficiaries will each work with the STCIC’s Senior Independent Assessors to raise their HSE management systems to meet the STOW HSE Requirements. At the end of the implementation period, the Beneficiaries will be assessed for compliance to the STOW requirements and certified accordingly. The STCIC expects each company to be certified within six (6) months.
Grant funds from the Inter-American Development Bank’s Multilateral Investment Fund will be used to offset the commercial fees of the Senior Independent Assessors. The grant covers 50% of the Senior Independent Assessor fees up to a total of $TT 30,000 to implement the STOW requirements and $TT 12,000 for the assessment. Each Beneficiary must provide counterpart funds towards certification including funds to implement the recommendations of the Assessor.
The four (4) Beneficiaries are the first of thirty (30) companies that will participate in the STOW pilot. The wider group of 26 energy service companies will be selected in 2010 and will receive a grant to cover 30% of Assessor fees.
The signing of the MOU marks the start of the pilot which is the third and final phase of the STOW project. Phase I involved the STCIC working with a consultant and energy industry stakeholders to create the STOW Minimum HSE Requirements. Phase II involved the training and authorization of HSE Professionals to work as Independent Assessors to guide energy service contractors towards STOW certification.
Mr. Nazamudin Mohamed, Managing Director, Kennicon Engineering Limited; Mr. Jim Hurst, HSE Director, Hull Support Services Limited; Mrs. Rhonda Pantin-Mitchell, Mitchell’s Professional Diving Services; and Colin Augustus, Managing Director, Special Consultants, Oilfield Rental, Equipment (SCORE) Limited were present to sign the MOU on behalf of their respective companies. Dr. Thackwray Driver, Chief Executive Officer, signed each MOU on behalf of the STCIC. The signing of the MOU took place at the STCIC’s Executive Office in San Fernando.
The STCIC congratulates the Beneficiaries for making the move towards distinguishing themselves on the basis of HSE. The STCIC is working with the major oil and gas companies to make STOW certification mandatory and as these Beneficiaries take the lead, they are positioning themselves to take advantage of business opportunities in the energy sector.
The STCIC would also like to again acknowledge the Inter-American Development Bank for their generous grant to implement the STOW initiative.
For more information on the STOW project visit www.stowtt.stcic.org.