HSE’s Trevor Johnson gets out his crystal ball

In the June/July issue of Making Waves we shared Part I of a “goodbye” story as Trevor reflected on the establishment of his team, how they began to work closely with IMCA; the creation of the Industry Collaboration Committee at Bootle in 2015; and the importance of the work that IMCA has done on ensuring that training standards are relevant to each group of people involved in the offshore wind industry.

Now we take advantage of some of Trevor’s crystal ball-gazing; and hope he and his wife (who retired the day before him) are enjoying their travels relatively close to their home in the Scottish borders with longer distance travels planned for next year and welcome Gerry Muir who has taken on Trevor’s role at HSE.

We asked Trevor: “If you weren’t retiring what would you like to see happening in the immediate future?” He saw interesting times ahead……

“There are a couple of challenges coming the way of the industry. One of them is dealing with the oil and gas industry, now according to many past ‘Peak Oil’, so officially “in transition” both in the UK and around the globe.

“There are skilled workers in the oil and gas industry who need to be ‘transitioned’ to the world of renewable energy and it must be done properly. IMCA’s training matrix (IMCA C 018) is a really good example of where we are heading. An important aspect to be avoided is the oil and gas trade (and related) associations laying down their training ideas. It is vital that we do not break the collaboration within the offshore wind industry that has been established. I think this could be a real challenge. The transition has to involve the smooth cooperation of all parties to move the Green Economy forward.

“Then too it is important to consider the integration of projects. We are no longer talking just about an offshore wind farm generating electricity and its route back to shore. We are now talking with developers about, for example, a hybrid floating turbine which produces hydrogen and bringing the hydrogen safely back to shore. You have the technologies coming together with new challenges.

“Organisations, like IMCA, have their part to play ensuring guidelines are put in place along with the right motivations so people do the right things. All the time asking ourselves “is this a challenge or a risk?”. Safe transition is vital.”

With yet another new and exciting era upon us, was Trevor sad to be leaving?

“I’ve been at HSE for 31 years; I’ve had a really good career; this last 8-9 years has been the most rewarding of the lot. Indeed, it has been the best job of a lot of good jobs. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed working with a lot of good people in the industry to take things forward, delivering good health and safety. It has been fabulous. The industry is in safe hands.

And if there was a 3-year review in 2021…..
“Yes, there would have been a 3-year review this year – its is due to COVID-19 that it has not happened. My message would have been: “In three years we’ve come a long way, we can’t afford to become complacent. We’ve got to continue to improve what we have got.

“Early involvement in the new technologies coming into play in order to design out risk is very important. We must continue to involve people at all levels in the decision-making and particularly the workforce. Everyone can help make a big difference. Keep it up!”

And words for IMCA
Did Trevor have any advice for IMCA?

“Yes. More of the same! Yours is a track record of achievement. Keep running events, producing documents and collaborating with all the different parties with whom you have made such vital improvements.

“Be ready to rise to the next challenge, stressing the importance of de-risking design in the next technology developments. And, be poised to produce guidance on those new developments.”

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