OREANDA-NEWS. June 13, 2013. Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. (KPO) announced that 46 professionals of the company were awarded with certificates of successful completion of the internationally-recognised Safety Training and Enhancement Programme (STEP).

STEP was jointly developed by KPO, IOSH, and Kazakh company Abiroy Technical Training. 

Representatives of KPO senior management, Production and Training and Development Departments were welcoming the graduates at the Graduation Ceremony.

At the Graduation Ceremony, KPO General Director, Damiano RATTI, said: “The STEP programme is aimed at raising the competence of national personnel of KPO to international HSE standards through building up formal compliance of regulations with conscious application of HSE best practices in daily performance.

“The enhancement of individual and corporate proficiency in industrial safety will also contribute to continued development and career growth of programme’s participants”, added Damiano RATTI.

KPO HSEQ Controller, Cristiano GIOACCHINI, said: “KPO has developed a completely new approach to the professional development of the field’s HSE personnel. STEP programme is based on IOSH “Managing Safely“course, which is recognized among HSE professionals worldwide.”

“This programme enables KPO to adhere the RoK government strategy of harmonizing its legal system to accommodate international HSE standards. In addition, the STEP initiative manifests the KPO compliance with the OHSAS 18001 safety accreditation for continuous improvement and training of KPO HSE personnel”, added Cristiano GIOACCHINI.

As the largest Employer in the region, KPO is fulfilling its obligations for the protection of employees’ health and for the creation of long-term jobs with competitive salaries.

As a result of KPO’s nationalisation programme aimed at substituting expatriate employees with local professionals, today, local specialists make up 92% of total KPO staff.

Overall, since the Final Production Sharing Agreement became effective KPO has put over USD 168 million into training and development of Kazakhstani professionals.