Finalists for the 2015 global oil & gas safety awards unveiled

OPITO has today (29 October 2015) revealed the shortlist of finalists for its Annual Global Oil and Gas Workforce Safety Awards.

INSTEP/PETRONAS in Malaysia, OSRL in the UK and McDermott in Dubai are vying for the Employer of the Year title while Megamas Brunei, Petrofac Training Services and PT Samson Tiara in Indonesia have made the final three in the Training Providers category of the awards.

The awards recognise companies that best demonstrate their commitment to building a safe and competent workforce through OPITO standards.

The winners will be announced at the OPITO Safety and Competency Conference (OSCC) on Tuesday 3rd November 2015 at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Abu Dhabi. Now in its sixth year, this global annual event is supported by headline sponsor Shell.

Expected to bring together around 500 senior figures from industry, governments, regulators and training providers from around the globe, the event will explore how the industry maintains competency and continues to keep its people safe in a lower oil price environment.



OPITO group chief executive officer David Doig said: “We have been thoroughly impressed with this year’s entries – the most we have ever received. It’s great to witness an increasing number of organisations looking to continually improve their safety training and develop competency.

“The OSCC Awards is our way of recognising and rewarding their ongoing efforts to ensure a safe and competent workforce. It’s vital that we do what we can to maintain this momentum and not make any compromises when it comes to safety, even in sub- $50 oil.”

Entries were judged on how they have effectively adopted OPITO standards, the number of staff trained, geographical location and examples of how the standards have shown a tangible improvement in safety and competence in the workplace.

In March this year, INSTEP/PETRONAS was named the world’s first approved technical qualification centre to receive OPITO accreditation for maintenance training in mechanical, electrical, instrument and control disciplines. Established in 1981, INSTEP/PETRONAS was primarily set-up to train skilled technicians and operators in meeting the rapid growth of the global petroleum industry. The organisation has since trained over 10,000 technical staff in Malaysia.

Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) first gained OPITO approval in 2007 for its competency management system. The organisation has worked closely with OPITO to adapt its training programmes to meet the needs of a growing workforce across an extended geographical reach. OSRL has seen a number of improvements in safety, competence and risk reduction since adopting OPITO’s global standards.

As an OPITO approved training centre, McDermott actively participates in OPITO development forums and training provider advisory groups. The organisation recently adopted OPITO’s IMIST standard to ensure that every offshore worker is equipped with the necessary safety awareness and training to reduce risk and ultimately reduce the number of incidents.

In 2000, Megamas Brunei became the first training provider in the world to deliver the OPITO Tropical BOSIET and has since delivered the course in over 20 countries. The organisation recently celebrated 25 years LTI free and received an international recognition from NEBOSH for its outstanding contribution to health and safety.

Petrofac Training Services established a five year HSEQ strategy to drive health, safety and environmental improvement in line with OPITO standards. The organisation recently developed a Competent Person Profile programme to ensure staff skills and behaviours meet the required competencies needed to deliver OPITO courses. The programme is currently being delivered in Aberdeen and will be rolled out across the globe for fire and marine training.

In 2004, Samson Tiara became the first OPITO approved safety training provider in Indonesia. The organisation has played a pivotal role in the growth and adoption of OPITO standards across Indonesia in an effort to educate government institutions, oil and gas regulators and industry employers on the benefits of OPITO approved training.

OSCC is the only global event focused on safety and competency in the oil and gas industry. The event was introduced to bring operators, contractors and the supply chain together with training organisations to provide a forum for improving standards of safety and competency that protect the workforce and the industry’s reputation.


For more information visit www.opito-oscc.com

Location: Abu Dhabi