Scafftag solutions are keeping Northern Marine Management one step ahead in safety

Project background

Northern Marine Management Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stena AB., operates strict health and safety policies, and is focused on adopting new initiatives to stay one step ahead of the game. Its policy of eliminating, or at least minimising risk is no mean feat though when taking into consideration it is responsible for the maintenance of a fleet comprising over 50 vessels, which could be anywhere in the world at anytime. Not to mention its responsibility to ensure conformity of its high standards by over 4,000 multinational sea staff.

When Kenny Fraser, the company.s Marine Safety Superintendent, joined the company, one of the most simple but effective measures he looked to implement to improve safety was the introduction of a centrally controlled tagging system for on-board equipment used by ship.s crew and maintenance teams. Previously this was operated on a ship-specific basis, but as the fleet expanded it was agreed that consistency was becoming increasingly necessary.

After reviewing a number of systems, and based on his experience of working with leading status management solutions provider, Scafftag, Kenny decided to implement a combination of systems from its Lockout Tagout range - Loktag and Pro-lock. Loktag and Prolock are used to offer a clearly visible inspection status of on-board equipment such as access points for cargo and ballast tanks, as well as locking access to hydraulic instrumentation and electrical equipment including distribution boxes and switchboards.

On his choice of solution, Kenny comments .I have had a very good experience working with Scafftag.s solutions, not only are the systems simple and effective they are also highly price-competitive. Throughout all my dealings with the company I have also been impressed by their service, in particular their responsiveness to Northern Marine.s specific needs.

The systems are being implemented across the fleet for any equipment that requires regular inspection and maintenance checks by company designated personnel. Most of the scheduled maintenance is done while the vessels are in dry-dock or repair periods. Kenny supervises the control of isolating such equipment which includes working closely with the designated Lockout Tagout Officer to enforce and update the safety systems once any necessary maintenance has been carried out. However, limited maintenance is sometimes required when the ship is in service, which means that any senior crew member could be conducting inspections and therefore need to be fully trained on the system.

Kenny believes that this is where the Scafftag system delivers the most benefit, especially in overcoming the language barriers of a multi-cultural team. The simplicity of the product means that it has been understood and adopted easily without too much written instruction.