“Playing it safe” can have many meanings. In some contexts, the expression has a egative connotation – taking no risks, being hesitant. In the context of dredging, however, “playing it safe” means making sure that responsible health and environmental values are maintained and that good safety training is provided. It means weighing risks and benefits, and ensuring that the standards of QHSE, Quality in Health, Safety and Environment, are met. As can be seen in the articles in this issue of Terra et Aqua, the subject of safety in performance of dredging projects is taken very seriously by the industry. Part of that involves on-the-job safety, constant vigilance and training, and a systematic approach to compliance with ISO and other shipping-related norms. To encourage accomplishments in this area, the International Association of Dredging Companies has instituted an annual IADC Safety Award. It is bestowed on a project, ship or company that has made an exceptional effort in setting standards, enforcing them and monitoring for quality health and safety conditions and for environmental responsibility. This year the project conducted by Flanders Dredging Corporation N.V., a 100 percent subsidiary of Jan De Nul Group, at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) located in Jervoise Bay, Western Australia has been singled out as an outstanding example of project safety. With a record of zero non-compliances and no lost-time injuries, the dedication of staff and crew to safety management were clearly deserving of special recognition. Environmental safety is, indeed, another highly valued aspect of quality performance. Partnering with the scientific community at universities and with sister organisations such as PIANC, the dredging industry continues to seek means of improving its operations and, especially, the means of disposing of dredged material in a careful, beneficial way. Part of this effort has been to demonstrate to government and the public that dredged material is not a “waste”. To establish that for the most part dredged material is clean, not contaminated. That dredged material is not something to be discarded, but rather, a valuable resource which can have multiple – safe – uses. Since both legislation and space constraints often hinder this attitude, the burden of proof is on the dredging professionals. The dredging industry welcomes this challenge. Through research and environmental monitoring, solid data has been catalogued which back up the contention that dredged material is a natural product that can be utilised in many places – for improving wetlands and shorelines for instance – which then minimises the need for constructing designated storage facilities. It also reduces the need to transport the materials to often-distant disposal sites at sea, which saves fuel and time, both of which are valuable commodities. As the engineers, staff and crews on board dredging vessels will proudly tell you, the bottom line of dredging is that it is about people helping people. Dredging professionals are part and parcel of the global community, as well as citizens in their local neighbourhoods. The effects of climate change and the threats of flooding, the protection of endangered species are their concerns. Dredgers are encouraged when a job is well executed, when a beach is properly restored thus reinforcing coastal defense and bringing new recreation areas to a town, or a brownfield is rehabilitated to make it safe for future urban development. As individuals, each of us has a role in ensuring our planet’s sustainability; as an industry, dredgers appreciate what their work can mean for improving people’s lives. Clearly, quality control in health, safety and environment is an integral part of every dredging project, and, when it comes to protecting the planet, playing it safe is the only way to play.
Koos van Oord
President, IADC