Stepping outside safety’s comfort zone.
“Everyone in the company has a passion for safety and genuine concern for their co-workers, from the top down."
Safety doesn’t just happen. And it certainly doesn’t happen in a silo. BKV understands that fostering a culture of safety takes time, effort and support from the top. Embracing safety as a non-negotiable priority, the company has proactively opened the door to dialogue, collaboration and training for internal and external stakeholders.
Beginning with the launch of the reformed BKV Safety Committee. Its goal is to engage employees across the organization in the company’s safety efforts, incorporating more field-level perspectives versus relying too heavily on top-down directives. “We saw the benefit of expanding the conversation and including team members who are out in the field, day in and day out,” said Megan Stiller, BKV Community Relations Manager. “We also wanted to look at ways we can focus on operational excellence, because these things are all connected.”
The response has been fantastic, with no shortage of Committee volunteers, as everyone in the company has a passion for safety and genuine concern for their co-workers, from the top down. “There hasn’t been any red tape,” said Adam Pope, BKV Health & Safety Advisor. “If anything, it’s been green lights all the way. And we’re running with it.”
“The committee has supplemented the internal safety training program, adding hands-on training opportunities based on lessons learned in the field. We also enhanced the safety recognition program, increasing the quantity and quality of participation—and they are just getting started.”
The focus extends into the communities as well, where BKV hosts regular lunch-and-learn events to build genuine, collaborative partnerships with local first responders. Sharing information has helped everyone understand the risks and expectations to be better prepared in an emergency. In tandem with this outreach, BKV launched its first-ever emergency responder grant program in 2023, which has provided $30,000 for critical needs of local first responder organizations in Texas and NEPA.
“We’re able to share critical insight on our operations and the unique situations they might encounter,” said Justin Clock, BKV Health & Safety Manager. “Upstream sites will have different equipment than midstream stations, different processes and potential hazards. Whether it’s an incident or a natural disaster, it’s important to everyone’s safety to keep these mutually informative, collaborative channels open.”
As with most efforts, hands-on experience is invaluable. BKV often runs workover rigs in the Barnett Shale, as a part of its regular upstream operations. Last year, BKV took the opportunity to train with Wise County emergency responders on this specific type of equipment. “The Wise County rescue team was not very familiar with workover rigs,” said Justin. “We were able to explain the operations and processes associated with the specific workover equipment. We had photos of the various pieces of equipment and a couple of drones flying around so they could see the top of the tall equipment. We even hoisted a mannequin up to the platform to simulate an actual rescue.”
The exercise was eye-opening both for BKV and the first responders. All agreed that the hands-on experience was critical to their understanding and preparation. “The bottom line is, these are community partnerships,” said Megan. “As members of these communities, we are committed to building relationships and keeping lines of communication open to ensure the safety of everyone.”
Discover more BKV Way stories like this in the 2023 Sustainability Report.