15 new safety promotion videos to be launched by IMCA

Published on 6 August 2016

The promotion of safe working practices is of paramount importance to the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) and its members around the globe. Over a two year period, IMCA will be launching 15 short mini-videos, to complement the existing IMCA pocket cards, which will be revised at the same time. These are designed to cross all cultures, boundaries and backgrounds. All will feature a computer generated blue animated character, the first appearance of which was in IMCA’s ‘In the Line of Fire’ (SEL 036) and ‘Mooring Incidents’ (SEL 038) videos in 2014/2015.

“It is important that safety videos set the scene and tell a “story, but without the complexities (and indeed the costs) of using real footage of safety hazards,” explains Mark Bosson of Technip who chairs IMCA’s Safety, Environment and Legislation (SEL) Committee. “The use of animation enables us to recreate incidents that have actually happened.

“Continuing use of the animated blue character helps us work towards a common look and feel for safety promotional material. He is ‘everyman’ (or these days, every person) and does the job superbly of ‘translating’ IMCA pocket safety cards into easy to understand two minute ‘Pocket Safety Videos’ that can be understood by all. The character will be central to a newly revised and standardised range of IMCA safety promotional material, developed by the SEL Core Committee with the assistance of Concept Productions.

“We showcased the first new videos at the IMCA Annual Seminar in Abu Dhabi last autumn where they received a favourable reception from delegates,” he adds. “I am delighted that we now have full budget approval for 15 videos.

“There will be four new videos in Q4 this year, including ‘Working at Height’ and ‘Preventing Slips and Trips’. A further 11 will be developed, with six ready in 2017 and the final five by Q1 2018. They graphically demonstrate the do’s and don’ts of safety, for when the blue character is a victim of an incident it turns bright red. The videos will be available free of charge to view online by members and non-members alike.”