DUTY-OF-CARE


WORDS ROB GILL


SAFET Y FIRST


In high-risk industries, TMCs have a role to play in managing disruption when something goes wrong


While these incidents are thankfully rare they highlight the potential risks associated with working in the EMM industries, and why companies and organisations involved in these sectors take duty-of-care so seriously. Talk to travel buyers working in the offshore and mining sectors, and they will unanimously tell you that duty-of-care is their “number one” priority when managing travel programmes and policies. “We will always make duty-of-care our top priority because of the locations we send our travellers to,” says one buyer in the energy industry. “It’s not something that we would ever compromise on, even during times when oil prices are low. We take it very seriously.” Allan Davidson, head of energy, marine & mining at American Express Global Business Travel, agrees. “When looking at the energy market, offshore safety is paramount. All companies working in this sector are highly focused on safety and protecting their most valuable assets – their people.”


ASSESSING THREATS


UTY-OF-CARE FOR EMPLOYEES is the top priority for organisations in the energy, marine and mining (EMM) sectors. Those working in these industries face a myriad of safety and security risks necessitating a higher level of planning and cooperation than other parts of corporate travel.


D


These three sectors have always had a higher risk profile than other industries. When things go wrong, they can become infamous, as did the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion in 2010 which caused a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Hollywood even made a movie, starring Mark Wahlberg, about the disaster.


Another marine incident to get the big screen treatment was the hijacking of a US container ship by Somali pirates – a story told in Captain Phillips, featuring Tom Hanks in the title role. Mining has also had its share of issues – remember the 33 Chilean miners who were stuck in a mine in 2010 for 69 days before eventually being rescued?


16 BBT ENERGY, MARINE & MINING SUPPLEMENT 2019


of Africa, accounted for


ten months of 2018. Most took place in and around Nigeria.


of the world’s total incidents of piracy and armed robbery against the marine industry in the first


⅓


The Gulf of Guinea, off the west coast


Companies working in EMM sectors face a wide range of different threats, according to Ed Clark, a senior security consultant at risk management specialist Worldaware, formerly known as Ijet International. Clark says risks “vary greatly by region and


country” but can potentially include having to deal with insurgencies, kidnapping, piracy, extreme weather, such as hurricanes and other natural disasters, as well as potential health hazards. “The primary concerns tend to be


geographical remoteness, often in underdeveloped areas with pre-existing socio-political challenges or lingering tensions from pre-existing extraction efforts,” he adds. “An often high concentration of foreign workers and managers makes these sites an attractive target and transportation often requires long periods of exposure.” Given these challenges, what role do TMCs


play in helping to improve duty-of-care for clients working in these sectors? “It’s very important that we as the TMC ensure everything we do is centred on safety,” says


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