HSE for Topside Maintenance

Hello Again

Previously I have explained on the various scope of offshore job.

This time around, I will go further into detail of Topside Maintenance job which also known as TSM or TMM  Topside Major Maintenance.

By the name it should be clear that work involves only from Sea Deck or sometime known as Spider Deck, the lowest deck which is above sea water. Anything below water will not covered in TMM campaign and being taken care by the diver which.is another scope of work anyway.

The major job on TMM is basically in favour to cosmetic appearance of the top side/platform which deteriorated in due time. The whole structure of the topside will undergo grit blasting process. The process utilizing specialized environmental friendly grit which is look exactly like the sand but purple in colour. The grit blasting process will remove those old paint marks and any corrosion from the metal.  Then, primer and final coating will be part of the painting process to ensure prolong life/integrity of the topside and off course look as very nice standing structure above the sea.

Apart from that, the job also including changing instrumentation, tubing, handrail, grating,  pipe or any other item as part of process to ensure their performance integrity. I was also involved in the process of changing old helideck timber to set of new timber.

Well, what is the HSE function in Topside Maintenance Scope. The Safety Officer will be in charged of ensuring safe planning, preparation, execution and completion of the job that being carried out to accomplish the campaign.

The most important thing is to ensure every job issued with valid permit before it can be carried out. The platform most senior in charge known as OIM (Offshore Installation Manager) will be the final approver of the PTW (Permit to Work)

The most important job that need to be really taken care on the safety is the Hot Work job which involves spark generated task i.e Welding, Grinding etc. The job area atop, underneath and surrounding shall be flammable gas free and also free from combustible material. The AGT (Authorised Gas Tester) will come and check any reading of flammable gas within the area. If the hot work being carried out and with even small portion of flammable gas exist, the risk of explosion and fire is just around the corner. Therefore, Safety Office will work closely with AGT in this particular activity.

Other than that, other job such as rigging, lifting and scaffolding also will be governed by PTW under  Cold Work category.

Safety Officer will monitor and walk round the work area to give advice on the safe way to perform the job. To achieve this the Safety Officer must have exposure and experience.

The routine of the day will begin with General Tool Box Talk (general safety briefing) and everyone must attend this briefing as it is mandatory requirement. From Safety Officer, OIM, Offshore Construction Superintendant and Discipline Supervisor will give talk and briefly explain on their planned activity for the day.

Subsequently, group toolbox talk which is specific to the task will be held and all involve personnel shall attend, listen, participate and can voice out their comment before sign off the JSA (Job Safety analysis) or JHA (Job Hazard Analysis) and at some company it is known as TRA (Task Risk Assessment)

After that only the job can proceed with the PTW in place and the Supervisors with helpful and

handful hand of Safety Officer will ensure the job being performed safely.

My Journey in HSE

My journey in HSE

I am quite occupied with my task and plus a lot of arrangement for the undertaking of my new house makes me drifted away from my blog.
Well to share on my journey in HSE, I will narrate from my first job till my current job. I will explain further on each job subsequently in the next following post.

The first job that I joined is known as Topside Maintenance. The location is offshore Sarawak and Sabah area.Basically the job is about to ensure offshore platform sustainability. Offshore environment can be harsh thus affect the integrity of equipment, piping and the physical of the platform itself. Thus, maintenance  is required.

The second job which I'm attached is Refinery construction. This is onshore project and base in Terengganu and involve a lot of work scope from Civil to Completion and Commissioning. Onshore is challenging as offshore in term of managing overall HSE aspect.

Then I jump back to offshore job and this time around is in Middle East. The job tittle is Towing and Installation also known as T&I, The scope involving installing of Riser and J tube for Pipe spool and offshore cable. This part of the world is well known for the 'Hot and Humid' condition.

Immediately after this job I was offered a position as HLO which is stand for Helicopter Landing Officer. This job is at offshore border between Malaysia and Thailand, the area known as Joint Development Area between Msia and Thai. The job is handling the crew movement via Helicopter or Chopper. I must say this kind of job is full of adrenalin because the HLO is responsible for the safe operation on Helideck, even the Chopper pilot will get confirmation from HLO  a "Clear to Land" before they actually landing on the Helideck.

After my contract finished with HLO job, I was offered a job as HSE onboard the Heavy Lift Vessel, The scope involves Lifting and installing 7 modules weighing from  200 MT to 1200MT and the location is at offshore Labuan. Those modules install on a main frame to become the complete offshore platform unit with integrated Living Quarters and Flare atttached.

Once completed I received a call with regard an offer as PTW HSE, PTW stand for Permit To Work. The job is involving diving  and I'm in charge of coordinating the Permit to Work onboard the Diving Vessel. I was at Terengganu offshore for this job

After this job I fly back to Middle East to join Pipe Lay project in Persian Gulf. The job involve joining special material and coated pipe on a vessel using Auto and Manual Welding. After that the pipe then slowly lay down to Sea bed, ready for commissioning and future usage as medium of transporting Gas or Crude Oil to onshore or to other offshore facility.

Finish job means contract also expired and I join a company that having the hook up and commissioning contract with a Client, this time around I was base in Kuala Lumpur office to monitor HSE performance and liaise with Client on HSE matter. This job is just a while and then I got offer to work in Ship Lay up job.

Ship lay up job actually to monitor HSE related scope onboard vessel that being laid up due to not having a business. At one time my compamny manage up to 67 huge vessel and I have to visit those vessel on daily basis. This was again at Labuan.


Finished with this job, I return to Kuala Lumpur for HSE documentation job for Turkemenistan undertaking. As this is more on office work, I prepare training module, Training Matrix and involve in the pro mobilizing activities.

Then, I'm back to offshore and again on Pipe laying job but the location is in Russia, specifically at Black Sea. Actually the pipe that we laid is for transporting Gas to be used for organizing Sochi Winter Olympic. When I saw the Sochi Winter Olympic game, I feel proud of myself because I am part of the team that lay the pipe for that game.

Finished with above job I fly to Shanghai for monitoring HSE scope of Vessel under construction at the shipyard. I managed to travel twice to Shanghai before the vessel construction and sea trial completed. I was onboard the vessel for 28 days voyage from Shanghai to Dubai across South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Oman Gulf  and Persian Gulf. Mid way at Sri Lanka we stop to pick up armed security personnel to guard our safety as we about to cross the Oman Gulf. Thanks God, no pirate attack us and we discharge the armed security at Oman and complete our voyage to Dubai.

I'm again become frequent flyer to middle east involves with Jacket Leg installation and Heavy Lifting of the module onto those jacket leg. I am monitoring the safe lifting and operation of hydraulic hammer and the safe transfer or personnel throughout the operation.

After this job I join jack up drilling rig in Singapore for refurbishment  job and after that I stay onboard while the rig being towed to offshore Vietnam location for the drilling campaign.

After completed  my hitch, I return to Malaysia and join onshore fabrication job at the fab yard for several years.

So as now I join well logging company and base in KL office, but still need to travel to Jakarta, Terengganu and Labuan to cover HSE scope. Depending on the job requirement I might travelling around Asia for any HSE coverage requiring my existence and assistance.

Will write again soon