SIXTEEN PETROLEUM industry employees were the 'stars of safety' recently when the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica's (PSOJ) Energy Committee hosted the Second Annual Petroleum Industry Safety Awards function at the Caymanas Golf & Country Club.
Among the 'stars' were tanker drivers David Cohen, Shell; Michael Smith, Petcom; and Norris Davis, Jampet who won first, second and third prize respectively in the Tanker Drivers Safety Awards Category.
Other awardees included tanker drivers, Derrick Reid, Cool Oasis; Leopold Grant, Esso Standard Oil; Lascelles McLeod, National Fuels; George Hemmings, Texaco Caribbean Inc.; and Delroy Campbell, Unipet.
The tanker drivers were assessed in four main areas safe practices, product haulage, company assessment and national interest.
The Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association (JGRA) presented special awards to service station attendants with Brenda Steele, Cool Oasis; Neville Burton, Texaco Caribbean; and Joseph Grandison, Unipet, capturing first, second and third prized respectively.
Also honoured as safe service station attendants were Bobbette Marshall, Esso Standard Oil; Natasha Johnson, Jampet; Suzette Stephenson, National Fuels; Lascelles Jackson, Petcom; and Huroy Hunt, Shell Co.
In his welcome to guests at the function, Chairman of the PSOJ Energy Committee, Nicholas Shorthose, said that the company's sponsorship of the awards was in keeping with its mandate to participate with the Government of Jamaica in the development and advancement of programmes designed to improve service, quality and environment which contribute to the betterment of the industry's growth.
The PSOJ Energy Committee, he said, is working to stimulate harmonious relations between the industry and the Jamaican government in order to provide the best products/service to the Jamaican consumer as well as to conduct the affairs of the industry considering not only the interest of the companies but also the community at large.
The Energy Committee's programme of activities Mr. Shorthose said, in addition to promoting safer driving and site operations includes developing an island-wide programme for the recycling and environmental friendly disposal of used oil. He called for "collaboration and friendship across the industry."
