Statistics may determine contracts

STX Europe has cut accident numbers by 50 % during the last two years. In this new picture, Synergi® plays an important role, Storesund claims. These are very good news, of course, but another important factor is simply having the statistics and getting them right.

”Not being able to present HSEQ statistics that prove you have the overview and that you are focusing on these issues, might pose problems when submitting a tender. This will be even more noticeable in the future”, Storesund says.

STX Europe always check the accident statistics with potential contractors. Stirringly bad accidents’ numbers is seldom a good sign. But if they don’t have the statistics at all, it might be even more difficult for them to get to work with the shipbuilder.

”In Norway the contractors constitute up to 80 % of a delivery. So in this way, we believe we are contributing to bringing HSE into the focus of attention in regards to the contractors and within our business as well,” Storesund explains.

STX Europe was reminded of the importance of remaining HSE conscious when the amount of incidents were peaking and two workers died at their post in Romania in the autumn of 2005. That led to an 'HSE changes programme' and the introduction of Synergi® – chosen because, according to the HSE Coordinator, it is considered the only real alternative: “Synergi® is the state of the art.”

Synergi® is now part of an overall thorough HSE system that is supported by an internet portal and an e-learning system among other things. Or, as Karsten Boe, SVP Quality Management & HSE puts it: “Synergi® is the engine in our HSE system. This 'machinery' needs petrol as well, and there are many other parts that are necessary to make it run. But without the engine you don’t move anywhere”.

Synergi® was rolled out during the summer of 2007 replacing tens of Excel sheets. After ten months their new HSE database contained 4,000 reports of accidents, near misses – and also safety observations. As opposed to their old data, the data in Synergi® can give them exactly the output they want at the time it’s needed.

“Excel sheets mean a lot of work for the HSE department and poor traceability or no traceability at all. We now spend a little more time registering incidents than we used to, but we get weekly, monthly and quarterly reports that allow us to do follow ups in a serious and orderly manner,” Storesund remarks.

Contractors included, STX Europe has about 40,000 different men and women at work per year. Most of them are working at one of their 18 ship yards around the world. All yards now have to deliver a weekly HSE report and they all register and learn from the common Synergi® database.

“Synergi® reveals that grinding devices, trestle works and welding equipment represent our most frequent identified risks. This is important evidence guiding us in our investments towards securing our workers. Moreover, Synergi® can be used to measure and visualise what your business is good at!” Storesund stresses.

Interestingly, productivity has increased after the HSE step change programme was initiated. And after promising their insurance company that the accident rate would be down by 20 % within a certain amount of time, their insurance premium was reduced with millions of euros per year.

“This alone highly surpasses the amount we have spent on the HSE programme. The insurance company has estimated that our programme is worth seven million euros per year in reduced insurance costs”, Storesund says.

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