SAFETY ALERT
April 28, 2022 Phone: (800) 200-4853
Reducing incidents through increasing training and
supervision of Short Service Employees
Green hard hats and SSE stickers can be used to identify
Short Service Employees
Since the beginning of 2022, BSEE has seen a significant trend in reported incidents
with causes or contributing factors that point to Short Service Employees. Standard
definitions of a SSE are an employee who has worked at the facility for less than six
months, worked in the industry for less than six months, or recently changed positions.
Some period of on-the-job training or mentorship is required.
The incidents include but are not limited to the following:
• An SSE was injured during a maintenance operation on rotating equipment. The
SSE placed his hand on the belt connecting the electric motor to the repaired pump.
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The SSE subsequently started the electric motor before removing his hand. The belt
guard had been removed during the repair. The post-incident investigation findings
cited major factors as lack of knowledge and experience and inadequate work
planning or training in the field.
• During an offshore inspection, platform leadership informed BSEE inspectors that
"they are at max capacity of SSEs and cannot afford to lose any experienced
personnel."
• Deepwater production facility personnel reported to BSEE that they had experienced
a 40% personnel turnover during annual performance reviews in the past two years.
• An SSE was injured on the rig floor during tool running operations. The SSE placed
his hand between a bushing and the running tool, and when the busing was
released, it dropped and injured his hand. The post-investigation report found that
the SSE used improper hand placement and failed to utilize hands-free tools. This
was the SSE's second time working as a rig floor support staff.
• During a BSEE inspection at a facility, inspectors noted that the employees present
were not familiar with safety device testing requirements, nor could they perform the
necessary safety system testing. The inspectors also pointed out that the employees
were new to the platform. BSEE inspectors issued an incident of noncompliance
(INC) at the facility.
Like many other industries, the offshore oil and gas industry has experienced a
tremendous upheaval/disorder in the workforce due to COVID-19 and other related
factors, with more new personnel working on facilities and more frequent transfers
between facilities. However, the complexities and imminent dangers faced by offshore
energy industry workers have not changed or dissipated.
Therefore, BSEE recommends that operators consider:
• Adequately training and mentoring SSEs. Training should include, but is not limited to,
hazard identification and specific job hazard mitigation. Zone awareness training,
including hands-on drills, should be mandatory for SSE rig floor workers. All SSEs
should have some form of assessment at the appropriate time in their SSE period to
evaluate and address any gaps in knowledge.
• Establishing a program or policy that trains and prepares experienced employees to
become mentors for SSEs entering the workforce or work location. The program
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should include hazard identification and risk management training as well as
leadership training.
• Sending SSEs to hands-on training classes, whether in well operations or production
operations instead of courses that primarily rely on classroom discussion. The
suggested alternative courses include a replica rig with a drilling floor in well
operations or a replica production train for production operations. The typical hazards
that an SSE will/may see offshore can be identified hands-on (including visually and
audibly) instead of courses relying solely on pictures and classroom discussions.
• Assessing SSE training and competency before arrival offshore. Upon arrival, the SSE
should be assigned a qualified mentor. The qualifications and hazards local to the job
scope and the facility should be extensively reviewed and discussed to increase
understanding before commencing work.
• Establishing a policy for the maximum SSE percentage allowed for the personnel on
board a facility.
• Establishing a policy for the maximum SSE percentage allowed for personnel on a
specific job.
• Evaluating the SSE workload and competencies until expertise is fully assessed and
evaluated. Understanding that personnel gain knowledge with experience. SSE
involvement in specific high-risk jobs should be evaluated based on all risk factors.
• Never leaving an SSE alone to perform a task or job.
– BSEE –
A Safety Alert is a tool used by BSEE to inform the offshore oil and gas industry of the
circumstances surrounding a potential safety issue. It also contains recommendations that
could assist avoiding potential incidents on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Category: Short Service Employees
