35 / 40
W I R E L I N E
- I S S U E 3 2 S U M M E R 2 0 1 5
3 5
Celebrating safety
The UK Oil and Gas Industry Safety Awards once again celebrated the people, teams
and companies making a real difference to offshore health and safety.
Wireline
reports
“T
eam, support and people…
help us get through difficult
times” – some of the stirring
words from inspirational athlete Karen
Darke. Her keynote address at the
UK Oil & Gas Industry Safety Awards
received a standing ovation from the
350-plus guests at the event on 29 April
in Aberdeen. The motivational messages
from the Paralympian, para triathlete
and adventurer couldn’t have been more
timely for the industry attendees.
A keen runner, climber and outdoor
addict, Karen’s life changed forever when
she fell off a cliff on the Aberdeenshire
coast, resulting in paralysis from the
chest down. She has since embarked on
an extraordinary new life, overcoming
physical and mental barriers to complete
a series of challenges, including
marathons, triathlons, kayaking,
sit-skiing and hand-cycling in some of the
most inhospitable and hazardous places
on the planet.
Les Linklater, Step Change in Safety’s
executive director, says: “Karen Darke is a
challenging and humbling speaker and her
talk on ’Making the Impossible, Possible’
was simply outstanding. It served as a
timely reminder to all of us that we can,
in spite of the challenges we may face,
overcome the odds through determination
and a bit of imagination.”
Robert Paterson, Oil & Gas UK’s health
and safety director, adds: “Karen hit
SAFETY AWARDS 2015
HEALTH AND SAFETY
