Invest in HSSE

AMERICAN Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) president Patricia Ghany has called upon businesses to "move past the profit margins" and invest in good health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) practices and policies.

Amcham holds steadfast to the philosophy that good HSSE policies make good business sense, Ghany said last Wednesday at the opening of the chamber's 2018 HSSE conference and exhibition at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain.

"Culture is not just about a focus on behaviour and attitudes. Proactive and consistent management of health and safety performance requires great leadership," she said.

Ghany said Amcham believes "it is important that we promote business beyond environmental compliance." She was pleased that Amcham’s health safety and environment committee authored an environmental charter which each of its member company’s CEOs would sign.

"This charter is one of the ways that Amcham is seeking to improve environmental sustainability and encourage other responsible, forward-thinking organisations to do the same," Ghany said.

She observed the need to adhere to good HSSE practices and policies was underscored by recent earthquakes and floods which have jolted TT out of a sense complacency. These events, Ghany added, have caused people to consider the "what ifs."

Atlantic CEO Dr Philip Mshelbila agreed. He said the recent floods showed "how technology can connect us together to help one another to bring about results."

Mshelbila also said there are relationships between technology, global energy business and corporate HSSE culture. Technology is a big part of Atlantic’s business, Mshelbila said, and the use of infrared thermography technology is an example of how technology is used to ensure there are zero leaks in Atlantic’s piping infrastructure.

After a recent earthquake, Mshelbila said this technology came to Atlantic’s rescue. Teams with infrared cameras found no structural damage or loss of containment to the piping infrastructure. "This gave us confidence that we could continue to operate the plant safely and sustain production."

Mshelbila said, "Those of us who are leaders are responsible to ensure that both technology and HSSE hold their rightful place in the culture of our companies." He explained that getting everybody on the same page is not automatic. "It takes deliberate strategy and consistent execution. Demonstration of this consistency is an obligation of leadership, for when leaders truly lead, people truly follow."

Mshelbila told his audience, "We should all aim to transform employees and service providers into ambassadors for the values and practices that enable strong HSSE performance."

In his feature address, National Security Minister Stuart Young observed that technology is not being used in the way that it should in national security and other areas. Young said the recent flooding brought home this point.

Young said since his appointment three months ago, he has been exploring ways in which technology can be better utilised in the ministry’s operations.

"We intend in national security to utilise as much technology as we can afford and to get the best value for money." Young observed, noting that for too long people "have been allowed to spend money without really getting value for money." He said taxpayers must get real value and "that has to translate for technology as well."

Young disclosed the ministry was evaluating the upgrade of its closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) network. He said the private sector could help strengthen the national security infrastructure by allowing, as much as they are comfortable with, access by the National Operations Fusion Centre to their CCTV cameras.