MEET THE STAFF SERIES

We should Always look at Safety beyond legal or Regulatory Requirement - Saleh Gimba.

CCD: Briefly tell us about yourself? 

GS: My Name is Engineer Gimba Saleh. I am a graduate of Petroleum Engineering from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. I am Certified and Registered with COREN.

I started my career in Health and Safety in December, 2012 after a Training with Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) on behalf of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

CCD: When did you join Kaduna Electric and what did your job roll entails?

GS: I joined the service of Kaduna Electric in September, 2015 as Health, Safety and Environment Officer in the Control & Compliance Department. My job roll include  among others; Disseminate HSE policies, procedures, and Ensure compliance with the Company’s safety Policies and Rules, ensure compliance  with HSE regulatory requirements and track implementation, coordinate regulatory risk assessment and management, conduct training of staff on HSE and New employee induction, review of job hazards analysis, conduct toolbox meeting, accident investigation and review of incident action plan, enforce safety guidelines, coordinate emergency evacuation and drills, etc.

CCD: As a safety Officer, what are the challenges you face in discharging your duties?

GS: None adherence to Positive Safety Culture and not making safety a top priority are our major challenges; Having the Company’s HSE policy is important but the policy has to be implemented fully and this require commitment from both the Management and employees, it is imperative for both the Management and employees to understand the importance of safety to the business. Therefore, HSE should be allow to take its proper place in priority list of the Company.

CCD: How are you coping with these challenges?

GS: We are able to manage these challenges through communication with staff inform of training, toolbox talk/safety briefing and other safety meetings, these had help in broadening their understanding of safety and therefore, change their perceptions, involvement and commitment towards safety.

CCD: Can you share with us safety related issues as the harmattan season is around the Corner?

GS:   To this effect, there is urgent need to undertake the following precaution:

1: Improve on your housekeeping culture. It is imperative to ensure that the sanitary conditions of our houses and surroundings are devoid of rubbish/weeds.

2: Check indiscriminate refuse and bush burning.

3: Avoid improper storage of petroleum products.

4: Ensure proper use of electrical appliances, Switch off all appliances not in use and unplugged from the sockets.

5: Never spray insecticides near cooking stove or gas cooker or any open flame.

6: Keep your gas cylinder outside the kitchen.

7: Fire-fighting equipment/extinguishers should be kept in functional conditions.

8: Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

9: Cover your nose and mouth with a mask or towel when it is dusty.

10: Wear clothes that keep your body warm.

CCD: The HSE target of Kaduna Electric is zero accident, what are your plans and strategies to achieving this?

GS: One way to achieve the goal of Zero Accident is to change the way safety is being measured. We have a strategy of measuring both the bottom-line result as well as the accident preventive measures i.e. the combination of both lagging and leading indicators. To each of these safety metrics, target is set and performance is measured on monthly basis and this approach if maintained will enable us see and measure what people are doing versus failing to do and we hope it will drive a continuous improvement in safety performance of the company.

CCD: Any appeal or suggestion to staff or Management

GS: My appeal to the Management is to demonstrate genuine and sincere leadership commitment by providing the motivating forces, resources and time to safety. While they are passionate about results, they should equally have concern about how safe the results are achieved.

While to the employees, I encourage them to take ownership of their own safety by developing positive behaviours and challenge unsafe behaviours through reporting of unsafe practices and stopping any unsafe job they witness. We should look at safety beyond the legal compliance.