Health & Safety: Shared expertise increases safety
Each year objects dropped from height damage equipment, disrupt operations and cause a number of injuries – in the worst case fatal ones. To counteract this, the work group DROPS (Dropped Objects Prevention Scheme) was started in the late 1990s.
Oil and gas operators, major engineering and drilling contractors, inspection specialists, industry bodies and suppliers come together in DROPS to share and discuss best practice. The organisation produces publications and offers resources such as training to its members.
“While the collaboration of all the key players is not so unusual in the oil and gas industry, our single-issue focus is unique and means we can be very effective at what we do,” says Greg Reid from Silverdot Ltd, who administers the activities of DROPS.
With over 200 member organisations, interest in DROPS continues to grow. “When DROPS started it was solely focused on the drilling sector within the oil and gas industry,” Reid says. “Today, we are a truly global organisation that covers all aspects of the industry. In fact, we are attracting attention from mining and construction companies, as they see the benefits of industry-wide collaboration.”
The Nord-Lock expertise in bolted connections is showcased in the third revision of Reliable Securing, which highlights the company’s washers as a recommended solution for mechanical and structural connections where maintaining the clamping force is critical.
“Nord-Lock has been a very active member of DROPS for around ten years,” explains Reid. “Our organisation can only be successful if all our members bring a collaborative attitude to the table. Nord-Lock are always free and open with their advice, offering unbiased expertise that doesn’t have their own interests at heart.”
For more information: dropsonline.org
