Does SEMS apply to contractors?

If you work for an offshore contracting company, you may think that SEMS doesn't apply to you -- after all, operators are the ones required to have SEMS plans. However, all contractors are now required to comply with the SEMS plan for the facility where they are working.

This means that the operational and safety procedures you follow in your job need to fit with the operator's SEMS plan. If there's a disagreement, or a need to change procedures, that has to be worked out before any work is done. The stakes are high -- if your company doesn't comply with the operator's SEMS plan, you're likely to find yourself off the job and out of work.