The agreements signed seek to reinforce security measures, personnel training and have an air evacuation system in the Neuquén Basin, with the purchase of at least one medical rescue helicopter through a tender.
“It is an initial kick of something so important that we have been proclaiming and pushing the issue of security, the importance of that father of a family, of that mother of a family, to return home accordingly,” said Marcelo RucciGeneral Secretary of the Private Oil and Gas Union of Río Negro, Neuquén and La Pampa,
The minutes were signed by Rucci, its deputy secretary general, Ernest Inal, and the union secretary daniel andersch. On behalf of the companies, executives from Chamber of Special Oil Operations Companies (Ceope) and the Chamber of Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbons (CEPH). The minutes were also signed by officials of the Labor Secretariats of Río Negro and Neuquén, the Hierarchical Oil Workers Union and the Superintendence of Work Risks of the Nation (SRS).
As this medium was able to learn, the measures include joint work with the Joint Committee of safety and hygienecreated after the explosion of the NOA refining plant, and the use of a digital platform to train workers in safety.
The Mixed Commission has been carrying out surveys of working conditions in the field and intervenes with the application and operating authorities. Hereinafter, the companies promised to respond to these reports in less than 15 days and to follow up on the observations with their technical staff.
Another of the agreements implies that all employees of the Account compulsorily take courses on the “Nine Rules that Save Lives” from June 1. “It is very important that all the teammates know it, that they are internalized, that they see what powers they even have to stop a maneuver if necessary,” Rucci asserted. The signed act establishes that if the September 1st next an employee does not have the course done, will not be enabled to lend tasks. To carry out the training, a digital platform will be made available.
The second agreement refers to the acquisition of the claimed aircraft to assist possible victims in the shortest time, with the appropriate medical professionals. “It is a very important issue that will allow us to have a quick response to an incident, which in a complex industry like ours can happen, and thus have the possibility of reaching an assistance center on time”, added the trade unionist. The “meet point” where the helicopter will be, accessible to all deposits, has not yet been defined.
Although the work to improve security in Vaca Muerta is not a new issue, these agreements were closed after the death at the end of last April of a Catriel oil worker and after the incident suffered 10 days ago by another worker who had to be amputate an arm, which led to a total stoppage in the sector.
Rucci celebrated the participation in the agreements of six of the 20 producing companies and urged the rest to join as soon as possible. “After a year or so of working, that they show no interest, I take it as contempt for life on the part of the producers who have not participated, who have not internalized, and who, despite having been summoned, have not I come”warned after the signature.
Marcelo Rucci Petroleros.jpg
“I take it as contempt for the lives of the workers, their own workers, who make this reality of Vaca Muerta possible, where more and more is produced and records are broken every day thanks to the daily work that the compañeros do.”he added. At the meeting they were YPF, Tecpetrol, Vista, Pan American Energy (PAE), Capex and Pluspetrol. The rest of the companies had asked for more time to adhere.
“Whoever does not participate in this, who does not give value to the lives of the workers, as is appropriate, they are going to have serious problems with us,” Rucci remarked. “We are not going to let this go,” he continued. “They have asked us for one more week, that the implementation will already be there and that some can get closer, but I want to make it very clear that the company that despises us in the way they have done, is going to have serious problems with us. We are quickly going to take direct action measures.” Sources from the sector hope that the rest will join in the next few days.
“This is the kickoff because there is a lot we have to improve on. I think that this scourge has been happening in our industry that rushing behind production, behind doing things quickly, that we forgot something as essential as the health and life of workers”, concluded the unionist.
Source: Ambito
