Zero Harm

We believe in zero harm to people, the environment, cargo, and property.

At BW, we apply our competence and experience in commercial management and operations to bring energy safely to the world markets. We aim to provide the best value services in our industry through outstanding operating efficiency – always keeping safety at the top of our agenda.


Safety and strong ethics are at the top of our agenda. BW commits to taking personal responsibility for safety, communicating safety concerns, actively sharing best practices and learning from near-miss incidents.

We have processes and tools in place to help ensure that every employee, both on-shore and at sea, can operate in the safest work environment possible. An example is our Health, Safety and Environment Policy, a directive that we embody in all our work activities. Tools like this create BW’s safety culture.

BW pursues a comprehensive and holistic approach to Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Quality (HSSEQ) across our operations. Our safety vision of Zero Harm is a journey, and new initiatives are put in place each year to further realise our ambition. Our safety statistics, which are better than industry benchmarks, indicate that these efforts are having an impact.

Safety

Safety is a continuous process—we do everything we can to prevent incidents from happening. When they do happen, we learn from them and we make improvements.

Safety is at the top of our agenda. BW is committed to a safe working environment. We do this through a culture of constant communication, active sharing of best practices, learning from near-miss incidents and numerous other safety tools and processes.

We aim to ensure that every employee, both onshore and at sea, can work in the safest work environment possible. An example is our Health, Safety and Environment Policy, a directive that embodies our work activities. Tools like this create BW’s safety culture.

BW has a holistic approach to Health, Safety, Security, Environment, and Quality (HSSEQ) across our operations. Our safety vision of Zero Harm is a journey, and new initiatives are put in place each year to realise our ambition. Our current safety statistics indicate these efforts have been effective and impactful. Although our incident statistics show a positive downward trend in many group companies, there is always work to be done.

Since our Zero Harm programme was introduced in 2013, our Total Recordable Case Frequency (TRCF) has decreased by 80% (2021: 55%) and the Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF) has decreased by 82%.

Even as we focus on prevention, we remain committed to emergency response preparedness. In collaboration with external stakeholders such as our Qualified Individuals (QI), P&I Clubs and crisis communications agency, we conduct regular drills to stress-test our processes, train crew and colleagues, and refine our response as a team. In 2022, we conducted over a dozen drills with scenarios of allision (contact with a stationary vessel), oil spill, suspicious craft (piracy), as well as Covid-19 response.

Some of our initiatives include:

  • Reviews and enhancements to existing risk assessment processes onboard our ships, with a focus on high-risk activities such as entering enclosed spaces and working aloft
  • Lock-Out-Tag-Out (lock-out kits) implemented on identified machinery, namely valves and electrical equipment, to control hazardous energy
  • Case studies and instructional safety videos created for shipboard discussions
  • Safety briefings organised for seafarers at officers’ and crew conferences
  • A pocket safety booklet available for crew and visitors onboard ships, and safety visitor cards available for onshore employees
  • Feedback process for Bridge Team performance
  • Updated personal protection equipment (PPE) supplied to all seafarers
  • Induction and training for shore-based staff who visit vessels
  • BW type specific safety training for the Bosun and Fitter (Specialised Individuals)
  • Superintendent presentations and updates on Zero Harm during on board sailing visits

Safety culture at BW Offshore

Through their We LEAD Culture Programme, BW Offshore fosters a strong culture aligned with their corporate values, and the company records all incidents to apply a ‘learning from failures’ approach to continuous improvement at all levels. On 12 October 2022, BW Offshore held its inaugural WE LEAD Day in Singapore with synchronised activities across its 12 offices and seven operational units, reinforcing a company-wide commitment to its values and an inclusive culture of leading with integrity.

Stop Work Policy

BW Offshore also gives all employees the explicit authority to stop any actions they think are unsafe and/or they are unsure about, and to initiate a process to define and clarify their concerns without any repercussions or questions. The Stop Work policy is endorsed by the CEO and conveys the expectation that everyone has the right to stop work without consequence. A safety observation card system is used at all work locations, offshore and onshore, where observations can be made anonymously. A Speak Up channel is also available for all internal and external stakeholders, for concerns to be raised anonymously.