TechnipFMC, Aker Solutions Win 2022 NOIA Safety in Seas Awards

For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 21, 2022
NOIA Contact:  Justin Williams, (202) 465-8464 | jwilliams@nullnoia.org

TechnipFMC, Aker Solutions Win 2022 NOIA Safety in Seas Awards

Washington, D.C. - The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) is pleased to announce that TechnipFMC and Aker Solutions are the winners of the 2022 NOIA Safety in Seas Awards competition. TechnipFMC is the 2022 NOIA Safety in Seas Culture of Safety Award winner and Aker Solutions is recognized for the 2022 NOIA Safety in Seas Safety Practice award.

The Culture of Safety Award honors overall organizational immersion in and commitment to safety, which has resulted in remarkable, measurable, and sustained safety performance over a prolonged period of time. The Safety Practice Award recognizes specific technologies, approaches, methods, or projects with direct and demonstrable impacts on improving safety.

NOIA President Erik Milito congratulates TechnipFMC and Aker Solutions, saying, “Globally, the need for reliable, safe, and affordable energy is at an all time high. The U.S. offshore region is a premier source of energy because our companies are dedicated to continuous innovation and ever improving safety. TechnipFMC and Aker Solutions exemplify the industry’s dedication and relentless innovation in constantly finding new ways to keep workers and the environment safe that makes the American offshore energy industry so special. The Safety in Seas awards are very competitive with many companies demonstrating highly advanced safety practices and safety cultures. We thank all the applicants, who represent almost every industry segment, for playing a strong role in the continuous advancement of safety in offshore operations.”

TechnipFMC is recognized for the Culture of Safety Award for their Pulse and Impact Quality programs. Impact Quality focuses on leadership behaviors that drive a culture of prevention, accountability, and continuous improvement. Pulse is the company’s global Health, Safety, Environment, & Security (HSES) culture and engagement program. Through training, self-assessment, and communication, Pulse provides TechnipFMC with the skills, tools, and behaviors needed to maintain and strengthen HSES culture. Since its launch in 2018, the Pulse and Impact Quality programs have engaged more than 6,000 internal and external stakeholders and the Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) has declined from 0.44 to 0.26.

Jonathan Landes, President, Subsea at TechnipFMC, said, “We never compromise on safety. It’s one of our foundational beliefs, and to have our safety culture recognized by NOIA is an honor. Our workforce and partners share our belief that safety starts with quality. Our company-wide Pulse safety program runs in parallel with our Impact Quality program, growing our culture of prevention and improvement. Everyone at TechnipFMC feels empowered to intervene and stop work when they perceive an issue. We will always endeavor to reduce risk and our programs constantly evolve to achieve that. One such evolution is our Serious Incident and Fatality (SIF) prevention program. It identifies and mitigates high-risk activities, then the solutions are shared company-wide. We measure this program on our ESG Scorecard – demonstrating to all our stakeholders how important the safety of our people is to us.”

Aker Solutions is recognized for their Control of Work program. The new program was developed to allow for each Aker Solutions segment and functional area to be graded throughout the year on implementation and adherence to the use of Safe Working Essentials tools. A key aspect of the program is encouraging the use of Stop Work Authority in an effort to support continuous safe operations. Between 2020 and 2021, Aker Solutions’ US operations saw a 92% increase in Stop Works, initiated from all areas of manufacturing, offshore services, maintenance, engineering, office personnel and contractors. This significant increase in Stop Work usage across the entire value chain demonstrates strong employee ownership of HSSE performance and, moreover, a culture of proactive risk identification across the business.

Neil Holder, SVP of Aker Solutions, commented, “Aker Solutions strives to continuously improve our safety programs, increase our safety culture and instill a safety mindset in all employees, whether working offshore or in the office. Initiatives like our Control of Work program and Stop Work Authority are critical to making sure our employees can go home safely every day. We are honored to receive this award as recognition of the commitment of our employees to keeping each other safe.“

The award-winning entries from TechnipFMC and Aker Solutions were evaluated by an independent panel of judges from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the National Academy of Science’s Transportation Research Board, and two industry safety consultants. There were 13 applications between the two Safety in Seas Categories.

NOIA has held the SIS awards competition since 1978 to recognize those who contribute to improving the safety of life in the offshore energy industry. The awards are sponsored by Compass Publications.