Chevron CEO Issues Safety Warning Weeks Before Fatal Angola Platform Fire
Chevron CEO Mike Wirth had issued urgent safety warnings to employees just weeks before a tragic fire claimed three lives on one of the company’s oil platforms off Angola’s coast, highlighting growing concerns about workplace safety in the industry.
In an internal video message dated April 29, Wirth told employees about a “concerning increase in serious near-misses, especially over the last few weeks,” warning that “some of these events could have resulted in fatalities.” The two-minute video, titled “Do it Safely or Not at All,” emphasized the company’s commitment to safety practices despite ongoing challenges.
The warning proved prescient when, on May 20, a fire erupted on a Chevron-operated deepwater platform approximately 60 miles off Angola’s coast. The incident resulted in three worker fatalities and injured 15 others, with some victims still receiving treatment according to Clay Neff, Chevron’s President of Upstream.
The safety concerns emerged amid significant organizational changes at Chevron, which announced in February plans to lay off up to 20% of its workforce to reduce costs. Several major energy companies have implemented similar layoffs as historically low oil prices over four years have pressured revenues.
Chevron has since implemented safety stand-downs across its operations, conducting meetings to discuss safety concerns and hear from employees about potential obstacles. The company recorded 12 serious injuries and one fatality in the previous year, according to its corporate sustainability report.
Source: Baird Maritime