There was a time in the oil&gas industry, and not that long ago, when this question was asked with alarming regularity.
The necessity for occupational-health provision continues to be questioned in many parts of the world, particularly now, with corporate profits being squeezed and companies looking to cut spending.
But rather than look at the subject from a statistical viewpoint, let’s look at it from a more subjective human perspective.
Firstly, it’s the right thing to do. From a moral and ethical standpoint, corporations have a responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for their employees.
In any employment contract, there is an implicit understanding that the employee will do their best for the company and the company will do its best for the employee. Proactive occupational health and HSE policies speak eloquently of management’s commitment to the welfare of its employees.
Secondly, from a company’s perspective, employees are an enormous expense. Not only do they need to be paid salaries, but they need to be recruited, trained and mentored. All this costs money.
The bottom line is that any company wants to retain its best and brightest, not only to protect its existing investment in the employee, but also to ensure that the employee continues to contribute by being a productive member of staff.
In this regard, occupational health and HSE are valuable retention tools. Who wouldn’t want to work for a company that demonstrably shows its commitment to employee wellbeing and safety?
Thirdly, it’s an effective public-relations tool, not to mention a very effective liability-limitation tool.
The global oil&gas industry is hazardous enough under the best of circumstances without companies compounding the danger by not mitigating against it with vigorous HSE and occupational-health programmes.
Finally, there are the countless social benefits. There is no doubt that healthier employees make healthier mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, and so on.
Safety and health promotion in the workplace is not only contributing to its own welfare, but to that of the community at large. Occupational-health practices and HSE policies are proof of a corporate value system that recognises the worth of an employee not only as an employee, but as a human being.
It’s true that it does cost money to recruit and train health and safety practitioners. It also costs money to formulate and enforce policies.
Sometimes, at least in the short term, it may be cheaper, and easier, for companies to simply ignore health-and-safety considerations. The temptation to view a health-and-safety policy as a drain on revenues, instead of a contributor, is ever present.
Sooner or later, companies with poor HSE practices will be exposed; they will lose workers, and their more safety-conscious competitors won’t hesitate to step in to gain valuable business opportunities.
This may take a while, years even, but it will happen.
In the oil&gas industry, where project life spans are measured in years, and sometimes decades, only companies with a long-term, sustainable vision will be around to reap the enormous rewards.
Such companies make provision within their budget for HSE and occupational health, and regard it as an investment in the future of their business.
Another challenge is the rate of change in the industry – every year brings new developments in technology and business practices. New projects are continuously being launched and existing projects expanded.
Keeping pace with the evolutionary nature of the business is an enormous challenge to HSE and occupational-health professionals.
To remain relevant and provide the greatest degree of employee safety and wellbeing, HSE and occupational health must not only change with the times, but attempt to anticipate those changes.
The benefits of a well managed HSE programme are manifest on both the individual and corporate level.
It enhances the quality of life of every individual it touches; it enhances corporate credibility and profits, and it enhances the community at large.
So the answer to the original question – why do we need occupational health? – has to be simply because it makes sense.
Rory Harrington is regional manager for Abermed in Western Kazakhstan. Abermed is headquartered in Aberdeen and ranks as a leading provider of occupational healthcare and industrial medical services. For more information, see www.abermed.com
