By Curtis Herron
Security has come to the forefront in light of numerous unfortunate events happening all over the globe.
Regardless if you’re working in a remote gas plant in British Columbia, a downtown corporate office in Calgary, or an offshore rig overseas, we’re all prone to threats to our security. This new level of risk means the oil and gas sector has more to be aware of and plan for than ever before.
Recently I’ve had a few occurrences which made me realize how vulnerable we all can be and that you can never be too careful regarding safety.
Last year, I was involved in what could easily have become a dangerous situation. I had parked my company truck in front of my house in Calgary, as I always did. One evening, a man rang my doorbell and was asking me asking a bunch of questions about my vehicle and was acting strange.
We moved the conversation outside to the truck and he told me how he had a similar truck but it had been stolen the previous week from his house down the road. While he was out for a walk with his family he was shocked to see what looked like his truck in my drive way. To both our surprise, the license plate from his stolen truck was on my truck.
What appears to have happened is that the thieves swapped his license plate for mine helping aid their get-away. This same week I had been driving that truck all over Alberta, the potential consequences for myself and even my company at the time could have been catastrophic. You bet now before I hop into my vehicle I do a thorough check to ensure everything is intact.
The second event comes from a recent visit I did to one of Black Gold’s clients in rural central Alberta. I had some interesting conversations with the gas plant operators regarding crimes that were occurring in the area. The operators mentioned that theft and vandalism were becoming major issues in their area.
Thieves were going to great lengths to steal items such as copper wire, vehicles, and tools. The thieves would pose as contractors completing work in the area for another company, but all the while would be watching oil and gas operations, and residents’ houses. As they left the premises, they would commit the crime and be on their way.
These two instances serve as a reminder that crimes happen both in the city and in the country, to big corporations and individuals, and at home and work. To avoid something similar happening to you or your company be prepared and create a security plan.
At Black Gold we recognize these security risks and can help develop a detailed response plan that give helpful tips and recommendations to secure a company site. We want everyone to come home safe, possessions intact and feel comfortable that their workplace is fundamentally sound the following workday.
