IMCA'S Annual Safety Survey

International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA, UK) member companies are invited to submit statistics for 2010, to ensure that the resulting statistics are more far-reaching and inclusive of the overall membership and continue to record year-on-year trends. Every year the IMCA produces a report of safety statistics covering fatalities and injuries reported by members. These provide a useful insight into the performance of the industry in the areas of health, safety and the environment, recording the safety performance of IMCA contractor members and enabling them to benchmark their performance.

"Last year, statistics were provided for 2009 by 152 companies and organisations, representing a significant fraction of the marine contractor membership," explains IMCA's Chief Executive, Hugh Williams. Just over 300 of IMCA's member companies are international contractors or contractors, the remaining 450 are suppliers, and corresponding members. "46 of the 152 companies and organisations took part for the first time. The statistics represent a large proportion of the offshore hours worked by IMCA contractor members, but we would like to encourage every contractor member (large and small) to take part in this important exercise in 2011. It would make the IMCA safety statistics report a truly authoritative picture of safety in the offshore construction workplace. In addition to the contractors who have contributed statistics faithfully for many years, we would particularly encourage contractor members who have not taken part in the past," he adds. "All information submitted is treated in the strictest confidence."

Now (beginning of January 2011) IMCA is about to circulate a letter to the Safety, Environment and Legislation (SEL) representatives of every contractor member, inviting the submission of statistics on an easy to complete Excel template. Instructions will be available, and the template can be completed in less than a quarter of an hour. IMCA members are asked to send information from which the usual lagging indicators (TRIR - Total Recordable Incident Rate; LTIFR - Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate; and FAR - Fatal Accident Rate) can be calculated, as well as information for calculating a number of leading indicators, such as reporting activity level (RAL) and safety observation frequency rate (SOFR).

Additionally, members are asked for basic information on causes of LTIs (Lost Time Injuries) and any fatalities, which has proved very useful in directing the work programme of the SEL committee into areas where attention may be required.