'Tis the Season of Giving

This holiday season GATE Premier Solutions took part in the Tri- County Behavioral Healthcare From the Heart campaign. In doing so they provided the wonderful gifts of clothes, shoes, and most of all the hope to families this holiday season in surrounding counties. These items were placed in the hands of four different families and with the contribution of GPS and others, $2,405.00 will go towards the overall total for the From the Heart campaign. Year after year, Tri-County Behavioral Healthcare supports their clients and families by providing clothes, food, and gifts, giving them a holiday they would otherwise not been able to afford.  In 2014 they helped more than 1,225 of their clients and families, and this year they have exceeded that goal and will give 1,785 individual requests for holiday assistance. GPS could not be more humbled by the act of giving and being a part of something so special within the community that surrounds them in The Woodlands.

Are You Decking the Halls Safely?

It's that time of year again! The weather conditions are getting colder, the holiday shopping is in full swing, and people are busy creating their home or offices into a winter wonderland. Fun decorations make for a festive holiday atmosphere, but they can also be a hazard to the workplace. Below are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare for the holiday season.

Electrical Hazards

• Limit Your Use: Be sure to not overdo your use of holiday lights and what your work area's electrical outlets can handle. "Daisy chaining" power strips and the use of extension cords to plug in several strands of lights could potentially overload your circuits and increase the risk of a fire.
• Hang It Up: When decorating your space be sure and secure your lights to walls, ceilings, or cubicle with tape or temporary hooks. Avoid using staples or nailing anything into the surfaces, this could cause damage to insulation of wiring, which then could cause sparking.
• Shut It Down: Be sure at the end of the day someone is responsible for turning off all additional office lighting. Leaving lights on will cause an increase in the company's electricity bill and could cause a fire while the building is unattended. A recommendation to be better safe than sorry is to use timer devices to shut the lights off automatically.

Fall Hazards

LOOK OUT! WATCH IT! These are some of the most common remarks heard in the office when trying to avoid the slips, trips, and falls that are all to common this time of year. Decorating is a non-task that can make these types of injuries even more likely. To avoid these slips, trips, and falls this year below are a few tips to help you out.

• Watch Your Step:  If you have high ceilings in your office and will need something to hang your decorations with, be sure you have a proper ladder or stepping stool. Avoid from standing on common office objects like desks, chairs, or boxes of supplies.
• Co-Worker Care: Be sure to not leave decorations out as a trip hazard. Certain items like cords are a major trip hazard to pedestrians. Avoid running cords across walkways, and tape down any cords that are at or near floor level.

Fire Hazards

When installing lights you should always follow standard electrical safety practices to control the facility's fire hazards, but additional fire safety issues need to be considered wen making holiday preparations. Below we have listed a few Do's and Don'ts that everyone should know when it comes to fire hazards and holiday decor.

• Do have decorative material that is non-combustible.
• Don't burn candles under any circumstances.
• Do make sure all decorations are clear of all sprinklers or alarm systems.
• Don't hang any holiday decorations from sprinkler heads, exit signs or fire extinguishers.
• Do make sure none of holiday decoration displays are blocking any doors, walkways or evacuation routes.

STAY SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

GPS Sponsors Oak Hill All- Star Mustangs

GATE Premier Solutions (GPS) had the honor of being a sponsor for the 9 and 10 year old All-Star Oak Hill Mustang (Team Blue) out of Austin, Texas. The Mustangs traveled to numerous baseball tournaments in the Central Texas area. When a child has been chosen for All-Stars, part of the reward is receiving gear that will enhance their game! Items received by the kids were new bat bags with their name and team logo embroidered on it, matching helmets with the team logo, among other equipment. GPS being a sponsor helped the Mustangs ensure that each child got an equal opportunity in receiving items not only for safety, but for fun, making memories as each child should when they are this age. We were happy and proud to help contribute to the Oak Hill Mustangs Team Blue 2015 All-Star baseball season!

"Playing baseball for pay - home run. Teaching kids to play the game - priceless." - Jack Peronte

What Makes a Diving Project Successful?

By: Gary M. Kane

      The year was 1911 in Summerland, California. There were approximately twelve wharves extending from the Summerland beach heading offshore; each wharf had at least twenty oil wells drilled through it. A structural problem arose and someone was needed to go underwater to repair it – Albert Christie arrived on the scene. An entrepreneur and inventor outfitted with no manufactured dive gear, Mr. Christie designed and built his dive equipment, then successfully made the dive and the wharf repairs. This was the first time a diver had any known contact with the oil industry.  Fast forward to 1938 – Superior Oil’s Creole Field in the Gulf of Mexico.  A construction barge had sunk and Superior Oil hired W. Horace Williams Construction Company to salvage it. They, in turn, hired Al Warriner, a mechanical engineer, to build the equipment necessary to perform the diving support during the salvage. This was the first known use of a diver in the oil patch in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

From 1938 until the early 1960’s the U.S. Navy was the leader in technological advancements in diving. However, that all changed in 1962 when Dan Wilson made the first 400-foot surface dive on helium and oxygen off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. The dive was made to prove to the oil industry that his company could handle the deeper depths the industry was moving toward. Since then, diving has progressed to the deepest dive ever made in the GOM at 1,072 feet achieved by Global Industries. The industry has gone from one diver in total working in the GOM to averaging between 500 and 600 divers working every day.

So what does it take to manage a successful diving operation in the Gulf of Mexico? There are four key drivers – water depth, diving mode selection, diving platform selection and tool selection. The depth of the water and the complexity of the project will determine the diving mode and have an impact on diving platform selection and tool selection.

Water Depth

Water depth is always the first question when setting up a dive operation. Water depths that require divers range from 0 to 1,000 feet in the GOM, with the majority of diving work in less than 400 feet. Water depth, as well as diving mode, defines the amount of time a diver can spend in the water. In deep water, time as well as capable diving platform assets are limited. In very shallow water, there is no limitation on time but there are fewer capable diving platform assets. The logistical and technical challenges of projects in very shallow water should not be underestimated. There have been as many diver fatalities in shallow water as there have been in deep water. The diving depth will also have a big part in determining the complexity and cost of the project.

Diving Mode

Three diving modes are used in the GOM – surface air diving, surface mixed gas diving and saturation diving. Each mode has depth limitations, time constraints and cost considerations.

Surface air diving is the most commonly used mode in the GOM. According to the limit set by the U.S. Coast Guard, it can be performed legally from 0 to 220 feet of water. There are some industry associations and operators however, that have elected to set their own limits which are less than 220 feet. In reality, once the water depth is over 120 feet, the amount of diver working time realized over a 24-hour period drops to unacceptable numbers.

Mixed gas diving has been performed in the GOM since Dan Wilson’s 1962 history making dive. Today there are few places in the world other than the GOM where it is acceptable to perform mixed gas diving. Using mixed gas will increase the diver’s bottom time over air diving; however, it also increases the amount of time between dives. This results in a decrease of the amount of diver time in the water over a 24-hour period. The U.S.C.G. allows mixed gas diving up to 300 feet.

Once the water depth is over 300 feet, saturation diving or closed bell is the only diving mode that can be legally chosen. For practical purposes, the longer a project is anticipated to last, the more cost effective saturation diving becomes. It affords the most of amount of diver working time in the water within a 24-hour period. It also has the highest associated cost per day.

Diving Platform

Diving can be performed utilizing a variety of diving platforms. Those are lift boats, utility vessels, four point anchor vessels, anchor or spud barges and dynamic positioned vessels. The choice of the diving platform is a balance between safety, operational needs, availability and cost. A safe and efficient asset is one that can maintain position and support the diver in his efforts underwater throughout a variety of onsite conditions. To further support a project there may be specific requirements for lifting capability. These needs will narrow down assets available for the project. The ability of the diving platform to be able to lift and accurately position objects underwater could be a key factor in the diving platform selection. There is a consideration of cost differential for whichever platform is chosen.

Tooling

No matter what the water depth, diving mode or diving platform used, it all comes down to one individual at the end of a hose doing the work. Having the right tool for the job is the only way to maximize the amount of work a diver can achieve in the limited amount of time he can stay in the water. Time is always working against the diver. There are purpose built tools for underwater use; it is not uncommon to see tools built specifically for a project. Time and money spent up front on tools that will ease the diver’s job is well worth the investment.

Project Success

In addition to the challenge of getting the work accomplished, diving projects have the added hurdle of maintaining life support functions for the individuals performing the work.  The diving industry in the GOM has a world-class safety record.  There are hundreds of dives made daily in the GOM without incident.  The main priority of any diving project is to return the diver to the surface unharmed. The next goal is successfully completing the scope of work. To accomplish this, proper planning is essential. Successful projects have a clear understanding of expectations and a well-designed plan to complete the scope of work.

There is one common thread between Albert Christie’s accomplishments in Summerland, Ca., Al Warriner’s design of dive equipment and salvage of the sunken construction barge in the Creole Field, Dan Wilson’s record breaking surface gas dive and Global Industries’ record breaking saturation dive - they were all planned on paper before the diver ever went in the water. Historical diving books show sketches documenting early dive equipment designs such as Christie’s, rigging plans for vessel salvage such as Warriner’s, calculations on gas mixtures for different depths such as Wilson’s and saturation system designs.

So what does a successful diving management plan look like? The water depth limits and challenges should be researched and understood. The diving mode selection should be supported with documentation showing how much work can safely be accomplished in a 24-hour period. The diving platform selection should be supported with vessel specifications and deck plans that position the crew to operate safely and efficiently in the best interest of the diver.  The tooling selection should be upheld with pre-determined technical assistance and back-up equipment.

Always remember to plan your dive and dive your plan!

Maximizing Company Potential

GATE, Inc. and Gate Premier Solutions have teamed with The John Maxwell Co. for internal leadership training.  It is our goal to have all of our internal staff to receive this valuable training.   The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential is the basis of the corporate training program.  #1 New York Times bestselling author John C. Maxwell explains how true leadership works and makes it accessible to everyone. Leadership does not come from your title. In fact, being named to a position is only the first and lowest of the five levels every effective leader achieves. To become more than a boss people are required to follow, you must master the ability to inspire and build a team that produces not only results, but also future leaders.  For more information about him visit JohnMaxwell.com.

Above Average

Since joining the ISNetworld in early October 2014, then Champlain Group now GATE Premier Solutions, has completed the initial review and completed all requirements for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. GPS is proud to announce that our company’s grade was an outstanding “Above Average” under all categories and programs turned in for review. ISNetworld connects hiring clients and contractors together, which in return establishes a safer work environment and lasting partnerships. Hiring clients use ISNetworld to regulate contractor management across multiple job sites and geographic regions, clearly communicate requirements and expectations and exchange data with other internal systems. As a result there are lower incident rates and higher compliance numbers.

When it comes to HSSE, GATE Premier Solutions’s alignment is a critical success factor within every aspect of our company. HSSE not only adds value, it ensures that everyone is reading from the same sheet of music, that we share the same HSSE objectives, same HSSE vision and same HSSE goals.

Making A Difference

A huge part of a child's success in the classroom is to make sure that they have proper classroom supplies. GATE Premier Solutions wanted to make sure that happened and donated money to the St. Rita School Art Class in New Orleans, LA. In the pictures below you can see the kids enjoying show and tell and loving the new art supplies! "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela