Leading drilling company in Nigeria, Tirex Petroleum & Energy proudly hosted its F.O.C.U.S on Safety Initiative on Monday, December 23, 2024. This landmark event recognized outstanding safety consciousness and best practices, emphasizing the company’s commitment to the highest standards of rig projects safety.
The event which was held at The George Hotel, Ikoyi, with key stakeholders and partners in attendance, celebrated four personnel who demonstrated exceptional dedication to maintaining a safe and secure rig environment.
The program acknowledges the critical role each crew member plays in identifying and mitigating potential safety hazards, fostering a collaborative safety culture on the rig. The awardees emerged winners after a careful review of about 250,000 safety observations by the safety committee on the rig where only the most impactful and insightful observation cards on the rig in 2024 were selected.
The awards aimed to empower a culture of safety on rigs and reinforce Tirex Petroleum & Energy’s core values of safety and operational excellence critical in high-risk operations like drilling.
The awardees include Makasi Uche, a Tubular Running Engineer; Gbenga Eniabilayin, a Derrick Man from OES Limited; Zebulon Izuchukwu, Warehouse man from OES Limited; and Ovuakporayeni Yugbovwre a Tubular Inspector.
In his remarks, Tirex’s General Manager, Operations, Assets and Business Expansion, Thompson Tatua, highlighted the importance of safety in achieving operational success and protecting lives.
He explained that the acronym F.O.C.U.S. which stands for ‘Formulate ’, ‘Organize’, ‘Communicate’, ‘Undertake’, and ‘Summarize’ was set in motion to ensure the successful process of achieving total safety on the rigs.
“Safety is not just a routine; it is a culture we must practice every day. Through this initiative, we recognize the incredible efforts of our rig workers in maintaining a safe rig environment, ensuring that everyone returns home safely to their families,” he said.
One of the award recipients, Ovuakporayeni Yugbovwre, a tubular inspector who worked on the OES Respect – SOKU 16 project said that identification of hazards in work environments is key in ensuring operational success.
“Part of my observations on board the rig when I resumed is the safety induction which was very precise and informative, it gave me the understanding that safety is a personal thing. One personnel can cause grave dangers to others on the rig, so we all must look out for one another,” he said.
Another recipient, Makasi Uche who also worked on the OES Respect but on the Benisede 28 project said the safety induction on board the rig taught him that he must think safety, act safety, and always communicate safety.
“I was very particular about safety on the rig. There was a scenario where a colleague was climbing up a ladder without placing his hands in the right places. That was very hazardous not just to him, but to me also. I had to call the attention of the safety officer who showed him how to climb properly,” he said.