Seagreen Wind Energy has partnered with Global Energy Group and Seaway 7 on a new hazard awareness initiative that is set to improve the energy sector service group's already enviable safety record, whilst also seeing local charities in with a chance of receiving a £1,000 windfall.

The new Monthly Hazard Observation Card Award was developed by Seaway 7 – client of Global Energy Group, who is the owner and operator of the Port of Nigg and administrators of the safety initiative – and the Seagreen project team which is a joint venture between TotalEnergies and SSE Renewables.

Seaway 7 – selected as the main contractor for the Seagreen renewable energy project – elected the Easter Ross port facility at Nigg as the storage, marshalling, and logistics base for 114 turbine structures. The yellow 95m-tall foundations, weighing 2,000 tonnes apiece, will be transported from the Port of Nigg in the Moray Firth to their final destination in the North Sea, forming Scotland's largest offshore wind farm.

If employees identify any potential hazards or improvements on site, they can submit a Hazard Observation Card (HOC) to their team leader with the best card each month chosen and the person submitting it asked to nominate a charity to receive a £1,000 donation. Global Energy Group, Seaway 7 and Seagreen will each contribute a third of the monthly donation.

The winner of the inaugural award was David Kernaghan, Rope Access Supervisor for Global Energy Services. David chose The Place Youth Centre (SC018055) in Alness as the recipient of his £1,000 prize. The Place has delivered youth work services within Alness and areas of high deprivation for over three decades. The charity helps develop employability skills in the young, such as confidence, leadership, team building and self-esteem, and also delivers sex and drug education and much more.

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The Monthly Observation Card Award scheme, which is set to run until the end of the Seagreen project, aims to promote a 'safety first' and 'open culture' among employees and contractors involved with the project at Nigg.

Resolute on health and safety, Global Energy Group is already an industry leader, valuing the safety of everyone who works for or with them. They continually strengthen their safety culture and believe that, given the right leadership and communication, all incidents are preventable.

Speaking about the new scheme, Charlie Morrison of Global Energy Group (Operations Director – Port of Nigg) said: "We are delighted to have launched this award in collaboration with Seaway 7 and Seagreen who share our unstinting approach to safety. Anything we can do to make our team even more vigilant and our workplace safer is a good thing and it's great to see brilliant local charities like The Place benefitting as a result.

"We recognise that individuals are responsible for both their own safety and that of their colleagues and encourage stakeholders to report any potential hazards without fear of judgement. We investigate these rare undesired events with a no-blame approach, fostering a culture of honesty and openness to enhance competency and maximise safe performance."

Martin Johnston of Seaway 7 who is the Marshalling Site Manager for the Seagreen project, said: "At Seaway 7 safety is paramount in all of our operations and we live by our "work safe, home safe" motto. Our aim is to ensure everyone is safe at work and return to their loved ones. Through this collaborative hazard observation scheme, we hope to increase engagement with the workforce and continually look to improve activities performed on site, whilst also benefitting some local charities in process."

John Small of SSE Renewables who is the Marshalling Yard Manager for the Seagreen project, added: "Seagreen Wind Energy Limited (SWEL) are delighted to be involved with this initiative with Seaway 7 and Global Energy Group. We are committed to the prevention of injury and ill health associated with our activities. We passionately believe that all accidents are preventable, so we do everything safely and responsibly, or not at all, so we all get home safe."

This scheme, as well as recognising safe behaviours, provides an opportunity to support the good causes in the local community."

A Spokesperson from The Place, commented: "We are very grateful to be receiving money from Global Energy Group after being chosen by David Kernaghan for the inaugural award. The Place team work super hard to find money from various funders to help sustain both venues in Alness, along with the delivery of our services."

"Our aim has always been to best meet the needs of our local young people through innovative projects/programmes and this awarded money will hugely benefit our community. We are delighted to have the support of local businesses."