Testimonials

When BC Ferry Services and BC Ferry and Marine Workers Union determined to embark on our journey towards a world class safety management system in the domestic ferry industry and a new standard for corporate safety culture, both organizations agreed to utilize the expertise and the experience of WrightWay in conjunction with Force Technology of Denmark. From the very start, John Wright and his team brought their enthusiasm and commitment to the table, understanding the complex issues we were dealing with and assisted us to define a clear plan to fulfill the mandate of BC Ferries and its partner in safety, the BCFMWU. Through developing strong, respectful relationships with the participants, John and his team have harnessed the latent power within the tri-party partnership of management, trade union and employees.

They have helped us to launch our program for change and to jettison past contentious history.

From day one, WrightWay has emphasized the imperative for inclusiveness. They have taken the ‘ground up’ approach, leaving no-one left behind in the pursuit of safety excellence and culture change. Through that ‘all onboard’ philosophy the employee-driven program SailSafe was conceived. With the truly inspirational Ken Woodward as the guardian overseer for the program and the people, much has taken place at BC Ferries over the last year and a half to bring not only optimism for the future of SailSafe but significant evidence the program is working. With personal safety ownership fully communicated as the expectation, everyone at BC Ferries is more fully engaged, vigilant and safer. The WrightForce team brings a full suite of tools to rejuvenate BC Ferries’ Safety management System. Executive training in Human Factors and Accident Investigation, Risk Assessment, Bridge Resource Management and simulations as well as a system of audits involving training from the top down and the bottom up has brought real attitude change and situational awareness of where we are as organizations and where we want to be headed. There is a real belief that one day SailSafe will “simply become the way we do things around here at BC Ferries.”

CalMac Ferries Ltd. was looking for a course that would take the principles of Bridge Team Management a stage further and would also involve the Engine Room Team in a co-ordinated approach to onboard ship management. The Crew Resource Management Course delivered by WrightWay met our requirements in all respects. Dealing with the management of the vessel in both normal day to day operations and the conduct during emergency situations, the principles of Bridge and Engine Room team management, situation awareness, communication both on board and ship/shore, the mitigation of risk, fatigue and crew resource management are all addressed, utilising both theory and practical simulator exercises, by the excellent WrightWay lecturing team, in co-ordination with the Simulation Department at South Tyneside Nautical College.

The course has been extremely well received by our Senior Sea Staff and participating Shore-based Managers alike, with each learning from the other to achieve a better ship/ shore understanding of each other’s roles and problems. It is proving to be a very large step forward in the on board management of our vessels, which we expect will result in even better safety management performance. It is now our Company policy that all our senior officers undertake this invaluable course.

Once again I would like to take this opportunity in thanking you for your enthusiastic approach and delivery of presentation on the day of our even.

Feedback is now coming through to us electronically and your morning session seems to have struck a positive chord with almost all of the delegates on the day. The ‘gold dust’ session has given us some thought provoking ideas on how to move forward and volunteers are falling over themselves to be involved in the development of health and safety in the executive. All good stuff that the team are going to develop and push forward to make a positive difference.