Building a world-class safety culture at Korean fabrication sites
DSME completed a $2.5Bn fabrication project ahead of schedule and with safety excellence
1112
Days without a Lost Time Incident
CHALLENGE
Tengizchevroil’s (TCO) ambitious joint venture Future Growth Project-Wellhead Pressure Management Project (FGP-WPMP) sought to expand production at Kazakhstan’s Tengiz oilfield, one of the largest in the world. The project adopted a modular approach with operations in 19 locations across 11 countries. 81 process and utility modules were fabricated in South Korea in partnership with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME).
As part of the project’s commitment to a global safety culture, JMJ’s Korean consulting team helped implement Incident and Injury Free™ (IIF™) safety practices at DSME’s fabrication yards:
- Ensure 4,600 contractors understood and adhered to industry safety standards
- Complete the fabrication of 81 modules on time and without Lost Time Incidents, while maintaining quality standards
- Establish a project wide safety culture that set the benchmark for future projects
SOLUTION
To meet Tengizchevroil’s high expectations, JMJ worked with DSME to deliver:
- Comprehensive safety leadership development: DSME, in partnership with JMJ, implemented IIF Orientation™ and Commitment Workshops™, initially engaging foremen and later extending to junior foremen. These experiences played a pivotal role in building leadership capability and mutual respect on-site.
- Daily safety engagements: Regular communication between foremen and frontline workers was established, leading to greater awareness of worker health and challenges. Supervisors were recognized for a job well done, enhancing engagement.
- Benchmarking and collaboration: DSME personnel worked closely with TCO FGP, visiting several modules to benchmark safety practices. This collaborative approach ensured that DSME consistently aligned with the highest safety standards.
- Safety Captains program: Foremen were developed as Safety Captains, deepening their leadership capabilities and embedding safety ownership across all levels of the workforce.
- Strategic phases: A roadmap was created with “Starting Strong, Staying Strong, and Finishing Strong” phases, ensuring continuous focus on safety throughout the project lifecycle.
We are proud of our high-performance safety culture and our extraordinary achievements. We will continue to build on our strong safety culture to enable current employees and future generations to be part of a valued, safe, and healthy environment."
RESULTS
As a result of the commitment to a high-performance safety culture, the fabrication yards achieved exceptional safety and performance results:
- Remarkable safety record: DSME celebrated 1,112 days without a Lost Time Incident (LTI), completing the $2.7 billion project a week ahead of schedule
- High-performance safety culture: The partnership with JMJ led to the successful creation of a high-performance safety culture, which became a model for future projects
- Industry benchmark: DSME’s achievement set a new standard in the shipbuilding and offshore engineering industry, showcasing the effectiveness of a well-implemented safety culture
- Client satisfaction: DSME’s leadership and commitment to safety were widely recognized, contributing to their reputation as a leader in safety excellence
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Workshop participants shared powerful insights, revealing a shift in mindset, strengthened leadership commitment, and a deepened belief that safety is both achievable and essential to success.
- In an IIF culture, safety is never compromised for the sake of schedules, even in high-risk environments
- Regular communication and recognition are vital in maintaining worker engagement and ensuring adherence to safety practices
- Visiting and learning from other projects helped DSME refine their safety practices and achieve outstanding results
Early completion
$2.5Bn fabrication project completed ahead of schedule
Exceptional safety record
Celebrated 1,112 days without an LTI
Industry benchmark
Set a new standard in the shipbuilding and offshore engineering industry