Make Safety Personal

Safety building blocks begins with each of us.

During the recently completed Wheelmen's Seminars, "Make Safety Personal" was the most important theme discussed. Attending wheelmen and management alike signed a large banner to attest to their agreement with the idea that safety begins with the individual. With their signature, seminar goers committed to focusing on making safety more than just a slogan.

But what does "Make Safety Personal" mean and how does it fit into the overall safety culture?

A safety culture adds up to many parts and programs which in our case, is documented throughout the "Higman Safety Management System". It also is made up from sources outside the company, primarily our customers who bring in expectations and requirements to ensure we work in a safe environment.

A basic contributor to the effectiveness of these safety programs is the attitude of each of us during our time at work and our time at home. All the rules and all the training in the world do not mean much if the individual does not make safety a personal issue.

When the crewman commits to making safety personal, his actions become the part of the foundation of an effective safety culture.

Why should safety become a personal issue?

First and foremost, is family.  Most of us have others that depend on us; a spouse, some kids and maybe a few relatives. They depend on us not only for the paycheck we bring home, but also for our place in the family. Family is a primary motivator to make safety personal.

Presentations made at the 2013 Wheelmen's Seminars.

During the Wheelmen's Seminars, the annual Higman Awards are announced.  Each year the Higman Management gathers data and calculates our yearly awards based on performance, safety and overall operational excellence.  

 

Safe Boat Awards

Canal...............M/ V ANNAPOLIS

River................M/V ARANSAS PASS

Overall.............M/V MARRERO

Charter (tie).....M/V MIKEALA LANE DEVALL

                       M/V GREGORY P. FRAZIER

 

Flag Captains for 2013 

This award recognizes those Captains who by virtue of their professional ability have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities.

 

Each Captain is graded on their:

• Performance record as measured by their incident record.
• Communications skills & performance.
• Training & Drill record of their boat.
• Personal observations of performance & leadership skills

The Flag Captains for 2013 are:

 

Capt Sam McWhorter        Capt Scott Bryars    

Capt David Carriere          Capt Arnold Argullin  

Capt Robert Nealy             Capt Jerry Cassagrand

Capt Alton Rivero              Capt Wallace Rogers

Capt Calvin Hatfield

 

 

H-Boat Awards

H-boat awards are given to boats that cost that company zero dollars from incidents for the entire year. This years winners are:

 

M/V MARRERO           M/V ARANSAS PASS     M/V SPINDLETOP

M/V PORT NECHES     M/V ANNAPOLIS        M/V SAINT CHARLES

 

  

Channelview Office on the Move

New office nears completion. 

How many times have I been asked about the status of the new Channelview Office? The answer is more than I can count on my fingers and toes. Here is the scoop on the new Channelview office.

Location: 16530 Peninsula Blvd, Houston TX, 77015

Directions: Exit I-10 at Sheldon Rd, go south 1.9 miles to end of Sheldon. Turn left onto San Jacinto Blvd, at 0.4 mi, turn slight right to continue on San Jacinto Blvd for 0.3 mi. San Jacinto Blvd changes into Peninsula Blvd.  Continue about 0.3 miles to new Higman Gate on right (not yet completed).

Our new facility includes 5 buildings:

1. Higman Training Facility - includes Training Offices, Training Classroom, Conference Room, New Employee Orientation Stations.

2. Higman Main Office - Personnel Offices, Repair Offices, Records Storage, Office Staff Lounge, Reception area.

3.  Higman Galley - Food Service facilities, Banquet area.

4. Higman Warehouse - Warehouse Storage, Crew Change supplies and mobilization area.

5. Fab Building - This building may be utilized by an outside contractor not connected with the Higman operation.

6.  Site of Higman main entrance gate.

A new 170 foot bulkhead is being constructed in the area of the warehouse for vessel tie-up.

Timing:

Reconstruction of the existing buildings is well underway and should be completed in the next two months. The construction of the new 170 foot bulkhead is underway.

A Staff move in date is anticipated for a May 2013 pending completion of construction.  Crew change out of the location, soon to follow.

Stay tuned!

Higman Peninsula Rd office entrance

Nautical Trivia 

Pushing the largest tow ever assembled.

May 21, 1983...The M/V Robert A. Kyle pushed the largest tow ever assembled.

The largest tow ever assembled started upriver from Reserve, LA on May 21, 1983. The tow was pushed by the M/V ROBERT A. Kyle, owned at the time by Federal Barge Lines. The "Kyle" was built in 1982 at St. Louis Ship as a triple screw with 9,200 Hp.

The tow when built, was 385' wide and approximately 1,800' long. From the picture, you can see at the stern of the tow, the M/V Dave Carlton, being delivered upriver as a dead boat.

Our own Capt Alton Rivero, built the tow during a two week period with the M/V KATE and the M/V LINDA R.  Capt Alton at the time owned Triple R Towing that operated in the area.  Today he is captain of the M/V MARRERO.

Heading upstream at Reserve, La.

Many thanks to all our Wheelmen who made the 2013 Seminars the most memorable ones that I have ever attended.  Our groups were upbeat, fun to hang with and full of great ideas! 

It was great to have so many wives, girlfriends and kids keeping us all smiling!

I would comment though that most of you probably should not take up the game of golf....

Have a great and safe week!