Onboard initiatives strengthen risk assessments and expand incident control across the company’s vessels
In an environment where every operation demands precision and a sharp focus on risk control, the role of the occupational safety technician goes far beyond compliance: it is about protecting lives, raising awareness, and building trust across the entire team. In the offshore sector, this role becomes even more essential.
At Seagems, a Brazilian company specialized in subsea engineering, the Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) team is key to enabling operations. In 2025, up to October, the company’s vessels recorded 267 perfect HSE days, meaning days with no accidents or incidents in any part of the company. On some vessels, such as Jade, there have been over eight years without Lost Time Injuries (LTI), a milestone that reflects the maturity of the safety culture built over the last decade.
“Our role is to ensure that every operation begins and ends safely, without anyone getting hurt. The difference lies in making safety part of our daily routine, and not just an obligation,” explains Keity Barbosa, Safety Technician at Seagems with ten years of experience in the sector.
Keity began her career offshore as an English teacher and became fascinated by the safety field after realizing the direct impact this work has on people’s lives. Today, she leads initiatives ranging from work permit approvals and behavioral observations to daily prevention training. “Completing a shift and knowing that nothing happened is not luck. Here, we plan, and we execute with efficiency and safety,” she says.
Seagems currently adopts the Safety II methodology, which views safety through the lens of resilience rather than the absence of errors. This approach considers human factors in the equation, applying a humanistic mindset rather than a punitive one. In the same line, Seagems also embraces the principles of HOP (Human and Organizational Performance), which are based on the understanding that blaming does not prevent incidents, that context drives behaviors, that human error is natural, and that constant learning is essential.
Among the practical tools used onboard are safety observation cards, which allow any employee to identify and report risky behaviors or conditions in real time. Seagems also sets monthly targets for each vessel, and in October alone, teams recorded over 2,000 observations, contributing to ongoing risk monitoring and best practice reinforcement.
The company’s safety culture is also driven by the philosophy “we take care of each other”, a principle that guides training, safety talks, and engagement actions. “More than following rules, safety is built on mutual trust, continuous learning, and recognition of human variability. We believe that people are part of the solution, and through them, we continuously make our operations safer,” reinforces Barbara Costa, Seagems’ QHSE Director.
In addition to technical performance indicators, Seagems continuously invests in developing and valuing safety professionals. Today, more than 45% of the offshore personnel currently working at the company had no prior experience and were trained internally through technical and behavioral development programs.
For Keity, every rotation represents a new opportunity for learning and connection. “We are facilitators. We are here to guide, prevent, and show that safety is what allows everyone to go home healthy, with stories to tell, and proud of the work they do,” she concludes.