It’s getting hot out there! With summer fast approaching, it’s a reminder that managing the risk of heat stress is an important issue for our industry. Origin Energy is supporting an industry-wide safety collaboration by adopting & implementing the Safer Together Heat Stress Awareness e-Learn module, & key elements of the Management of Heat Stress Guideline.  

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Origin Energy is the upstream operator for Australia Pacific LNG and is responsible for the development of its Coal Seam Gas (CSG) fields in the Surat and Bowen basins and the main transmission pipeline that transports the gas to the LNG facility on Curtis Island near Gladstone.

In the onshore Oil and Gas Exploration & Production Industry in Australia, people work in hot conditions in the field environment as well as production facilities. Historically, each company has had their own approach to managing heat stress. All are focused on managing the same risk, but the format and content of each differs slightly from one company to the next.

The introduction of the Safer Together Management of Heat Stress Guideline provided a timely opportunity for Origin Energy to not only align with a new industry-wide approach, but also to review and refresh its pre-existing Working in Hot Environments Procedure. 

Click here for a Case Study from Origin Energy that provides more details about why they adopted and implemented the Heat Stress Awareness e-Learn module and key elements of the Management of Heat Stress Guideline, how they went about it, and how it has helped the company and its employees. You’ll also find out Origin Energy’s tips for other member companies on how to maximise the value of adopting the Management of Heat Stress Guideline.

More information about Origin Energy.

Coming Soon…Updated Guideline

We’ve updated the Guideline in response to feedback and comments from our Member Companies. Refinements include:

  • More details on working temperature – and what it is affected by
  • Work related factors (PPE, radiation etc.)
  • More detail on acclimatisation
  • Monitoring symptoms of Heat related illness & basic first aid
  • Mitigations to be implemented, organised in line with the Hierarchy of Control
  • Heat exposure reduction tool – checklist  

The Guideline was initially rolled out in Queensland. The intent is that the updated version of the Guideline will also be rolled out in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Find out more about the modifications to the Guideline in next month’s newsletter. The Safer Together “Health Vitals Workshop” in Perth on 25th October 2023 will also include a briefing presentation about it.

For more information about the Safer Together Management of Heat Stress Guideline and Heat Stress Awareness e-Learn module.

Contact: [email protected].