Workforce Involvement Group Members Nicky Elphinstone (Safety Representative, ESS) And

Workforce Involvement Group (WIG) members Nicky Elphinstone (Safety Representative, ESS) and Alistair McGilvray (Consultant to the Offshore Industry) met with training providers today (Thursday 3rd February 2011) along with OPITO to move another step closer to getting the safety representatives training matrix up and running.

Nicky stated "It's amazing how fast we are moving this along, it proves by pulling together in the same direction, we can achieve so much".

The minutes of that meeting are below.

Workforce Involvement Group Training Forum Meeting date: 3rd February 2011 Open Gov. Status: Fully open Type of paper: Minutes Paper File ref: Exemptions: None

Minutes of the meeting of the Workforce Involvement Group Training Forum, OPITO, Portlethen, Aberdeen

ATTENDEES

Present Apologies Alistair McGilvray – WIG Les Larchett – WIG Nicky Elphinstone – WIG Jim Cameron – OPITO Copy Barry Christie - Petrofac Mike Carr - OPITO

Item Action 1 Welcome and Introductions 1.1 Alistair McGilvray welcomed all who were able to attend the AMcG. meeting at short notice. Although the numbers were not as great as it was hoped, due to the desire shown by the Safety Representatives and the present momentum being exhibited by the WIG Training Forum it was agreed to continue with the meeting. He thanked Jim Cameron for the use of the OPITO premises. 2 Minutes of Last Meeting 2.1 N/A Item Action 3 Purpose of this meeting 3.1 Further to recent meetings with Training Providers in Aberdeen AMcG with regard to Further Training for Safety Representatives, it has been agreed with OIAC (via WIG) to develop additional training for Safety Representatives to Industry Standards (OPITO).

To this end, a further meeting has been arranged in Aberdeen with the Training Providers, OPITO, Step Change and the WIG Training Forum to agree the way forward in developing the requisite Training and set the Standards.

3.2 A schedule has been drawn up by WIG and necessitates early AMcG. NE involvement and action by all parties. The following is a proposed agenda for today’s meeting:-

Brief presentation of earlier developments.

Outline of Additional Training for Safety Representatives

Discussion on content/duration of Additional Training Courses

Agreement with OPITO on Standards for Additional Training Courses

Set Schedule for application of Additional Training Courses 4 Brief presentation of earlier developments. AMcG The development of a provisional matrix was explained, which is AMcG. divided into 4 separate sections, viz.

a. Agreed further Training for Safety Representatives. This does not replace the existing SI 971 Training Course, but is seen as supplementary to it.

b. Continuing Further Developmental Training

c. A separate Training Course recommended with regard to improving understanding between Management, Supervision and Safety Representatives.

d. Further Developmental Training

5 Outline of Additional Training for Safety Representatives AMcG. NE Discussion on content/duration of Additional Training Courses a. Agreed further Training for Safety Representatives. a.1 There are four topics which have been agreed by OIAC to go NE Item Action forward for development and have a standard(s) established.

These have/will be presented to Step Change by Steve Walker Head of HSE’s offshore safety Division) in order that they are accepted and confirmation given to OPITO by the industry that a standard be developed. a.2 Agreement was reached, the four topics should be progressed by Barry the Training Providers, and They will also initially formulate a Christie template for the training in order that these can be provided to a Jim OPITO training Manager as a draft from which to initially set up Cameron the standard meetings.

b. Continuing Further Developmental Training b.1 Although this training was seen as being beneficial, it will not be WIG included in the present development. It is seen as being part of the recommended further training and will form a part of it.

c. A separate Training Course is recommended with regard to improving understanding between Management, Supervision and Safety Representatives. c.1 This was seen as being extremely beneficial for all parties in WIG developing a better understanding of the role of SI 971 but does not form part of the WIG’s present brief.

If sufficient interest is forthcoming the WIG Training Forum will gladly accept the challenge to oversee the development

d. Further Developmental Training d.1 As Training for Safety Representative is not compulsory, this WIG further training could be seen as a burden on Safety Representatives.

This does not preclude Safety Representatives voluntarily undertaking this training.

6. Agreement with OPITO on Standards for Additional Training Courses All were in agreement that the proposed Further Training Courses NE could be relatively easy to develop and that a Standard(s) was required. There is a synergy across the proposed courses that it may be possible to develop a single Standard to cover all the Training Courses.

Training Providers to submit pertinent material to the OPITO Training Manager Item Action OPITO requires confirmation from Industry to commence Standard development. Step Change team to inform OPITO.

7. Progress 7.1  In order to maintain the existing momentum all parties agreed that a timely schedule should be maintained, i.e. an attempt will be made to develop the Standard(s) within three months as opposed to the normal 6 months.

 OPITO to inform WIG of Progress on a routine basis.

 WIG to attend OPITO Standards Meeting to assist in maintaining momentum.