Five more energy organizations have backed a letter aimed at improving the mental health of thousands of North Sea workers, the North Sea chapter of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) revealed in a statement sent to Rigzone on Wednesday .
Aker Solutions, Expro, Ithaca Energy, Proserv and EY have pledged to support the move, according to the IADC North Sea Chapter, which is leading it. The companies join Borr Drilling, Dräger, Noble, OPITO, the Port of Aberdeen, Step Change in Safety, Well-Safe Solutions and Wood, in supporting the initiative, the IADC noted.
The letter is currently being prepared to be officially launched, the IADC revealed in the statement. A
A 10-point action plan has been drawn up for inclusion in the letter, the IADC noted. This was developed in consultation with organizations across the energy industry, as well as psychologists and third sector partners such as Aberdeen Mental Health and the Cyrenians, the IADC noted.
The action plan includes the following points, according to the IADC statement:
- Initiate a cultural change in the company and the sector
- Demonstrate transparency and accountability through internal and external reporting
- Create awareness of mental health and wellness among employees
- Promote effective people management
- Encourage open conversations about mental health and well-being and provide employees with good working conditions, including a psychologically safe space.
- Offer comprehensive training
- Give mental health and well-being the same high priority as physical health
- Offer support and personalized guidance in mental health
- Regularly monitor mental health and well-being
- Share good practices
“We are proud to have been able to bring so many people together in such a short space of time to launch this charter,” Darren Sutherland, president of the IADC’s North Sea chapter, said in the statement.
“The support for this initiative has been quite incredible and encouraging. It not only shows how quickly as an industry we can come together when needed, but it also shows how seriously the issue is being taken,” he added.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to implement meaningful change and I am hopeful that in the decades to come, those working in our industry will look back at the changes we are trying to implement and see a marked difference in what mental health looks like . seen,” he continued.
In the statement, Sutherland pointed out that this letter is something that must be part of the day-to-day life of organizations.
“We have to live it, not just store it on the intranet or pin it on the wall,” he said in the statement.
“How we do it is ultimately how we make a difference,” he added.
Sutherland said in the statement that the letter’s points are about taking care of each other, “and making sure we stay healthy.”
“One of the key areas we wanted to drive home is that we can only help each other if the problem is recognized,” he said.
“The energy industry is very close-knit and there are great networks and friendship groups at all levels. It’s important that people in these groups feel comfortable not only talking about their mental health, but also feel empowered to seek help or help others find help,” she added.
“Poor mental health can affect any of us when we least expect it. By adhering to the points created in the letter, I hope we can help reduce the number of people who need assistance and improve mental health in energy.” it continued.
Rigzone has asked industry body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) for comment on the IADC’s latest statement. At the time of writing, OEUK has yet to respond to Rigzone’s request.
In May, in an update sent to Rigzone, the North Sea Chapter of the IADC revealed this nearly 200 representatives of “leading organizations” in the energy industry had drawn up a letter aimed at improving the mental health of North Sea workers. In this update, the IADC revealed that a letter document was about to undergo wider consultation with stakeholders, including psychologists, before being issued “in the coming weeks”.
On April 25, the North Sea Chapter of the IADC hosted a mental health in energy workshop. More than 200 delegates gathered at the Chester Hotel in Aberdeen to “engage in a dynamic debate and take action on this very important issue,” the IADC said in a statement posted on its website in May. Ahead of the workshop, the North Sea Chapter of the IADC published a white paper on mental health in the North Sea.
According to OC Tanner’s Global Culture Report 2023, 50 percent of oil and gas workers find their jobs exhausting and 39 percent feel emotionally frustrated. In that study, 56 percent of oil and gas workers also reported that their line managers seem stressed.
In March 2021, in a comment sent to Rigzone, Colin Leslie, spokesman for the mental health charity Support in Mind Scotland, said the pandemic has had a significant impact on people’s mental health in all walks of life adding that the uncertainty and anxiety it has created will no doubt have affected oil and gas workers as well.
To contact the author, please send an email andreas.exarcheas@rigzone.com
