SAUDI ARAMCO's safety performance for last year was a 'source of pride' for the company, according to president and CEO Abdallah Jum'ah.

The company's overall safety results for last year showed an improvement on previous years, though Jum'ah warned of the challenges ahead.

Safety plays a critical role in Saudi Aramco's day-to-day operations, with every department following its own specific safety requirements and procedures while keeping the fundamental company safety philosophy in mind: Always put your safety as well as the safety of others first, before participating in any on- or off-the-job activities.

The challenge is clearly for Saudi Aramco to outperform its best record to date while meeting new demands of the future.

These demands include several ambitious programmes launched by the company to modernise and expand the company's vast array of facilities, including new processing plants in the Master Gas System (MGS), refinery upgrades and new pipelines being constructed.

A Loss Control Report covering the company's operations last year shows that improvements have been made in every key area.

It also indicates that Saudi Aramco's employees have risen to the challenge of increased safety awareness.

For example, for last year the frequency rate of Industrial Disabling Injuries (IDIs) dropped significantly to 0.22 per 200,000 man-hours, from a rate of 0.29 the previous year.

The company also suffered fewer fires during the year compared to the previous year.

However, the rate of Off-Job Disabling Injuries (ODIs) rose slightly to 0.61 per 200,000 man-hours last year, from 0.58 in 1999.

The Loss Control Report also cited positive news on an international scale. Saudi Aramco's refineries were said to average considerably fewer IDIs than US refineries from 1993 to last year.

Saudi Aramco's domestic Yanbu refinery, for instance, was honoured earlier this year for recording five million safe operational hours.

The refinery received an 'Excellence in Safety' Award from the Jeddah Area Loss Prevention Division for completing the mark - which is the equivalent of 570 years without an industrial disabling industry.

The award ceremony took place at the Yanbu Refinery Department 2000 Annual Safety Award function which was attended by more than 300 company employees and representatives from other organisations related to Saudi Aramco.

In addition, Saudi Aramco's gas plants recorded fewer accidents every year for the same period than their American counterparts.

That record has earned Saudi Aramco seven first-place safety awards in the gas plants industry, the most recent in 1997.

Berri Gas Plant (BGP), for instance, was honoured earlier this year by the Gas Processors Association (GPA) for achieving 500,000 man-hours free of industrial injuries.

Yusof Rafie, Gas Operations senior vice president, and Abdullah A Alsamari, Northern Area Gas Operations executive director, presented Suleman A. Al Bargan, BGP manager, with a GPA plaque at a ceremony attended by Gas Operations executives and managers, according to the company.

The IDI frequency comparison between Saudi Aramco and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) national petroleum companies favoured Saudi Aramco once again.

Saudi Aramco's IDI frequency for last year was still lower than the combined average of the reporting GCC petroleum companies. Saudi Aramco's rate of 0.22 last year was less than the GCC average of 0.28.

Saudi Aramco continues to take innovative steps in safety measures. For example, two major safety initiatives by 'Udhailiyah-area employees so impressed Saudi Aramco executives during a safety review that the systems may be considered for implementation company-wide, according to the company.

The initiatives were discussed in presentations to executives in 'Udhailiyah before tours of area facilities during the an Executive Management Safety Review.