PRIORITISING QHSE IN LOGISTICS

MOVING SAFTY FORWARDS – OSPREY’S QHSE TEAM GUIDES ALL WE DO  

From start to finish, our QHSE team guides every aspect of every project. Ellie Bowsher, one of our QHSE Officers, works specifically on specialist logistics for Hinkley Point C. This puts her at the heart of delivering nuclear success – enabling processes, helping people to embrace continuous improvement through the delivery of critical assets.

Ellie explains her work on site: “Manufacturers can’t send huge components overland to Hinkley Point C. We bring them in via our Shared Services operation, which combines vessels, barges, cranes, SPMTs – all kinds of transport co-ordinating multiple deliveries of oversized assets from their points of origin. In reality, our QHSE work starts as soon as we’re involved with those movements, but here on the ground, my job begins the moment our teams take delivery.”

As Osprey’s QHSE Officer for HPC, Ellie is part of the team that ensures every aspect of the operations take place safely. It’s a multi-faceted, complex job but the aim is simple. Putting safety first with zero harm, with minimum exposure to risk, and total dedication to continuously learning from every aspect of the operation. It’s a safety paradox that should be adopted industry-wide – looking for opportunities to improve standards, systems and procedures constantly. Not just meeting QHSE criteria but looking for better ways to deliver exceptional operations.

QHSE. IT’s COMPLEX, BUT SIMPLE.

Ellie ticks off the many aspects of her QHSE role: unloading vessels safely, monitoring effectiveness of closed roads, detailing the transportation of assets into specialist storage facilities; making sure an incoming barge can unload safely, lash down, and transit that load safely to its destination on time – it’s a varied role.

“Pre-planning for all of those movements starts way before we’re here on site,” says Ellie. “There’s nothing about QHSE that’s not complex, but the aim is still simple. Safety first with zero harm – every job is done safely no matter how urgent it is – but I’ve said that, haven’t I.” She smiles. “It’s interesting because everyone we work with here really does understand how important it is. I work with project managers and engineers, for example, to ensure all the lifting plans and risk assessments will meet the high standards we have here at Osprey and HPC – which is a regulation-focused construction site – and they all know, QHSE has the first and final word on how things will operate.”

QHSE IS CRUCIAL TO SUCCESS

None of our operations happen without QHSE sign-off. It’s a team effort, but Ellie can stop all operations in a heartbeat if she feels there’s a risk to QHSE. It is our QHSE team’s responsibility to be the catalyst for ever-improving standards – translating what we do into working practices that embrace diversity and nurture an open ethos towards continuous improvement. In short, it’s our QHSE team’s job to ensure everyone and every aspect of critical asset movement is safe.

Everyone involved looks to QHSE as the guiding force that enables the successful and safe completion of each project. Ellie explains that remit: “Things like access to emergency exits and equipment, ground trip hazards, inclement weather, tie-down methods, fatigue – all of those things are a risk, they have a huge impact on people, equipment, and processes.” This has to be balanced against the constant pressure of a cost-per-minute delay to any movement. “Nobody takes health and safety for granted. But the central point of responsibility makes it manageable, and it makes it a continuous learning process too, which I enjoy.”

“We organise it all in detail, always looking for ways to improve what we do. That involves ‘Toolbox Talks’ before each phase of a movement, talking through known key hazards, different risks, and what we need to be aware of. Weather, for example, is a huge variable in what we do in QHSE. But then, we also run a ‘lessons learnt’ and ‘project lookback’ session afterwards, where everyone’s voice is valued and heard. All the observations are gathered and evaluated for the next movement, and the one after that, and the one after that. It’s not just my eyes on site, it’s everyone’s responsibility to prioritise safety. Risk assessments, method statements, scheduling – there isn’t a single part of an Osprey operation that doesn’t benefit from our team’s non-stop focus.”