After two deaths of outsourced workers, Petrobras calls a meeting with unions to discuss safety. The president of the state-owned company had already warned about flaws in the company's practices.
A serious alert has been triggered in Petrobras in recent days, and it goes far beyond operational routines.
Two recent tragedies involving workers of third-party companies that provided services to the oil giant cast a shadow over the company's security practices.
Next Tuesday (15), Petrobras will meet with union representatives to discuss security policies, following the deaths of two outsourced employees in early October.
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According to the Unified Federation of Oil Workers (FUP), the meeting seeks a more intense dialogue on the company's safety practices, a demand that has become critical with recent events.
According to newspaper Valor Econômico, the state-owned company demonstrated deep concern about the issue and committed to reviewing its preventive measures.
The victims They were workers in high-risk areas, and the repercussions of their deaths exposed weaknesses that the company can no longer ignore.
In a statement, Petrobras deeply regretted the fatalities and assured that it has provided support to the families. “We are committed to providing all necessary support,” the state-owned company highlighted.
What is known about accidents?
On October 5th, the worker Edson Lopes Almeida was found dead in his accommodation aboard the Cidade Niterói platform, located in the Campos Basin.
According to the Macaé Legal Medical Institute (IML), the cause of death was natural, and Petrobras reported that all measures to support the family and colleagues were adopted immediately.
According to the note released, the company and the unit's charterer promptly notified the competent authorities.
A few days later, on October 7, the engineer Rafaela Martins de Araujo, an employee of the outsourced company MJ2, died after being run over by heavy equipment at one of the accesses to the Cabiúnas terminal, also in Macaé.
The tragedy occurred when Rafaela was rescued and transported to the nearest Emergency Care Unit (UPA), but, unfortunately, her death was confirmed upon arrival.
Petrobras, together with MJ2, also provided assistance to the family and is conducting an investigation to determine the causes of the accident.
The state-owned company announced that, in accordance with its internal regulations, an investigation committee was formed to investigate the circumstances of the fatality.
Activities at the construction site where the accident occurred were immediately halted and will remain suspended until the investigation is complete.
As reported by Valor Econômico, this committee will be attended by union representatives and the Internal Accident Prevention Committee (CIPA).
Warnings before accidents
Interestingly, just a few days before the incidents, Magda Chambriard, president of Petrobras, had already drawn attention to flaws in safety standards at a public event.
On September 26, during an awards ceremony for suppliers, Chambriard criticized the lack of rigor in restricted areas of platforms and even cited a leaked video showing employees using cell phones and wearing inappropriate sandals during a decommissioning operation.
The President's warning seemed to have been a tragic foreshadowing of events to come.
Still as reported by the Valor Econômico, Chambriard highlighted that the P-19 platform, in the Marlim field, suffered an accidental tilt during a maneuver, a week before the fatal accidents.
No one was injured, but the platform was immediately deactivated and will undergo decommissioning.
The seemingly minor security flaws, generated internal concerns that are now amplified by recent fatalities.
Petrobras’ new safety commitments
Petrobras reaffirmed its commitment to safety by ensuring that will continue to invest in training programs and in the restructuring of its staff through public competitions.
The objective, according to the company, is to reinforce the presence of qualified labor to reduce the risk of accidents in operational areas.
The meeting with the unions promises to be an important step in adjusting the company's policies and practices, aiming to prevent tragedies like these from happening again.
According to the state-owned company, in addition to ongoing investigations, other projects focused on security are already being studied.