Hazard awareness scheme launched by Global Energy Group, Seaway 7 and Seagreen Wind Energy at Nigg yard proves welcome windfall for The Place youth group in Alness

A MONTHLY prize for Easter Ross employees pointing out potentially dangerous hazards in the workplace is set to benefit local groups.

Global Energy Group said it is proud to support the new hazard awareness initiative with Seaway 7 and

Seagreen Wind Energy Limited that is set to improve the energy sector service group’s "already

enviable safety record" whilst seeing charities in with a chance of receiving a £1000 windfall.

The new Hazard Observation Card (HOC) award was developed by Seaway 7 – client of Global

Energy Group, who is the owner and operator of the Port of Nigg and administrators of the safety

initiative – and the Seagreen project team, which is a joint venture between TotalEnergies and SSE Renewables.

Seaway 7 – selected as the main contractor for the Seagreen renewable energy project – elected the Easter Ross port facility at Nigg as the storage, marshalling, and logistics base for 114 turbine structures.

The yellow 95m-tall foundations, weighing 2,000 tonnes apiece, will be transported from the Port of Nigg in the Moray Firth to their final destination in the North Sea, forming Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm.

If employees identify any potential hazards or improvements on site, they can submit a HOC to their team leader. The person submitting the best card each month will be asked to nominate a charity to receive a £1000 donation.

Global Energy Group, Seaway 7 and Seagreen will each contribute a third of the monthly donation.

The winner of the inaugural award was David Kernaghan, rope access supervisor for Global

Energy Services.

David chose The Place Youth Centre in Alness as the recipient of his £1000 prize. The Place has delivered youth work services within Alness and areas of high deprivation for over three decades. The charity helps develop employability skills in the young, such as confidence, leadership, team building and self-esteem, and also delivers sex and drug education and much more.

The Monthly Observation Card Award scheme, which is set to run until the end of the Seagreen project, aims to promote a ‘safety first’ and ‘open culture’ among employees and contractors involved with the project at Nigg.

Speaking about the new scheme, Charlie Morrison, operations director – Port of Nigg) said: “We are delighted to have launched this award in collaboration with Seaway 7 and Seagreen who share our unstinting approach to safety. Anything we can do to make our team even more vigilant and our workplace safer is a good thing and it’s great to see brilliant local charities like The Place benefitting as a result.”

“We recognise that individuals are responsible for both their own safety and that of their colleagues and encourage stakeholders to report any potential hazards without fear of judgement. We investigate these rare undesired events with a no-blame approach, fostering a culture of honesty and openness to enhance competency and maximise safe performance.”

Martin Johnston of Seaway 7 who is the marshalling site manager for the Seagreen project, said: “At Seaway 7 safety is paramount in all of our operations and we live by our 'work safe, home safe' motto. Our aim is to ensure everyone is safe at work and return to their loved ones. Through this collaborative hazard observation scheme we hope to increase engagement with the workforce and continually look to improve activities performed on site, whilst also benefitting some local charities in process.”

John Small of SSE Renewables who is the marshalling yard manager for the Seagreen project, added: “Seagreen Wind Energy Limited (SWEL) are delighted to be involved with this initiative with

Seaway 7 and Global Energy Group. We are committed to the prevention of injury and ill health

associated with our activities. We passionately believe that all accidents are preventable, so we do everything safely and responsibly, or not at all, so we all get home safe.

“This scheme, as well as recognising safe behaviours, provides an opportunity to support the good causes in the local community.”

A spokesperson from The Place, commented: “We are very grateful to be receiving money from Global Energy Group after being chosen by David Kernaghan for the inaugural award. The Place team work super hard to find money from various funders to help sustain both venues in Alness, along with the delivery of our services.

“Our aim has always been to best meet the needs of our local young people through innovative projects/programmes and this awarded money will hugely benefit our community. We are delighted to have the support of local businesses.”

About the Port of Nigg

• Claiming to be Scotland’s most important energy industry port facility, The Port of Nigg is known for its multi-sector capability, offering turnkey solutions to customers in the international energy industry.

• The deepwater port boasts some of the largest construction and assembly shops in Europe "and benefits from an unrivalled dry dock that is fast becoming the principal UK hub for fabrication, storage, laydown and yard logistics support for the renewables industry, backed up by a multi-discipline workforce with a proven track record".

• The recent multi-million pound investment in the East Quay - which, at 225m long and 50m wide, increases the leading port facility’s deepwater quayside capacity to over 1200m - was supported by Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the Scottish Government.

• The Port is supported by a full package of on-site services from the Global Energy Group portfolio of companies, delivering fabrication, repair, maintenance, enhancement and conversion projects for the renewables, oil and gas and nuclear sectors.

• For more on Global Energy Group’s commitments to health, safety and the environment, see https://gegroup.com/about/hseq-accreditations

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