…to focus attention on health, safety and environmental standards in the energy sector

THE Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) is seeking to establish a Safe to Work (STOW) certification programme for contractors in the energy sector which will put health, safety and the environment on the forefront.
At a stakeholder consultation on Wednesday at the Pegasus Hotel, the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago was invited to present on the benefits of the STOW progamme which was established in T&T.

The programme is used to pre-qualify contractors on Health, Safety and the Environmental Management Systems (HSE- MS) resulting in performance improvement and global competitiveness.

The consultation’s main objectives were to promote the services of the GNBS to operators of the oil and gas sector; to sensitise local businesses on the STOW-TT programme and to seek private and public feedback.

GNBS Executive Director, Candelle Walcott-Bostwick in her opening remarks said that over the years the GNBS has adopted a wide cross- section of regional and international standards to address the needs of the local industry.
She stated that in order for local contractors to be eligible for consideration by energy operators, they must be adequately certified in HSE which the STOW programme will be able to provide.

“We are here to serve the Government and the people of Guyana to ensure that appropriate standards are imbedded into the various sectors. We are also open to learning from entities with the experience in this sector, so that we can better meet the needs of our stakeholders,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Manufacturing Services Association (GMSA), executive Raymond Ramsaroop, stated that workplace fatalities occurring in high numbers globally every year continue to affect the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many countries.
As such, Ramsaroop said that Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) and environmental protection initiatives must be an important part of the all working environments.
“A single, clear, objective scheme that can both guide the implementation and provide verification that HSE requirements are met, is very welcomed,” he said.
Meanwhile, STOW Executive Officer, Dr. Thackwray Driver, through a presentation, indicated that the STOW certification is not a legal document, but a public declaration made by contracting companies on agreed upon operational standards.

He told of major operating companies in the oil and gas sector which have adopted the STOW-TT HSE requirements as a mandatory prerequisite and the favourable outcomes ensued as a result.

The proposed steps for Guyana to be a part of the programme include: sensitisation and training on the STOW programme; the establishment of a STOW secretariat and the securing of industry and government’s support.
STOW-TT is the only scheme of its kind in the Caribbean region and the GNBS is now working to determine whether a similar programme can be adopted locally.

CAPTIONS SAVED AS: GNBS 1-2
GNBS 1: Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin (seated right) and Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Executive Director, Candelle Walcott-Bostwick (left), listen in to the presentations on Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) in the energy sector. (Samuel Maughn photo)
GNBS 2: STOW Executive Officer, Dr. Thackwray Driver addresses stakeholders who turned out to the consultation meeting at the Pegasus hotel on Wednesday (Samuel Maughn photo)