The Guardian Spring 2012 : Page 2INTER NATIONAL CALL ING SMS Sales & Marketing Coordinator Matt Monte caught up with Howard Lurker as he represents Acadian abroad to find out what the safety culture is like, how they learned to communicate better, and how much his Scottish friends really love Braveheart. Where are you right now? Howard: I am in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It was a long trip that started in San Antonio, Texas, driving to Houston , then grabbing a flight to Tokyo, Japan, which was 17 hours. Then I flew to Singapore, landing there just after midnight. I grabbed a cab to a hotel for about 4 hours of sleep and then another cab to the shipyard, catching a boat to the rig. We stayed at anchor for about 3 or 4 days, while they finished up things on the rig – getting it ready to get underway for the 50 to 60 day trip to Ghana. What kind of work are you doing all the way out there? 2 H: I am here to provide training in Confined Space Entry & Attendant, Bloodborne Pathogens, Confined Space Rescue, Forklift, Fall Protection End User, and 8 Hour Rigging and Scaffolding. The list has changed several times due to standards and crew schedules. This is a multi-national crew and though the main language on the vessel is English, you still have people that do not understand it so I have to work with an interpreter. Right now I’m training Malaysians, Indonesians, Germans, Americans (I’m not the only one this time!!), Englishmen, Scots, Ghanaians, Filipinos, Poles, Norwegians, Australians, Indians, Brazilians, and Canadians. Is this the first time you’ve ever worked internationally? H: No, a little over a year ago, I went to Angola, Africa, for the same company. I’ve also gone to Mexico while working for SMS. Other than that, I have traveled all over the world both with the military and other jobs. I like the travel and the chance to experience other cultures and to see different countries. Some of my travels haven’t been for nice reasons or to nice places, but I’ve enjoyed them all. One thing that my grandmother made me promise is that when I go to different places I remember that I’m an ambassador of my country, family, mili-tary, and company. That is one thing that I have always tried to do. The Guardian: Safety Management Systems’ Corporate Newsletter Publication List Using a screen reader? Click Here |
