There seems to be a new trend in the oilfield industry, people are being let go for having their personal cell phone on them while on watch. Little harsh if ask me… Advice, do not answer any calls from your vessel managers on “your” cell when on watch.
Yeah no shit Sherlock, almost all companies have a no personal cell on watch policy. So when the co-originator calls you on it, don’t even call him back on the boat phone.
I don’t know what “…co-originator…” is but thank you for your valuable input.
Cell phones are not “intrinsically safe”. I’m surprised the offshore oil industry didn’t ban them sooner. Shoreside did ages ago.
Co-ordinator, autocorrect is a pain in the ass.
I can’t even believe that this is a topic of discussion. Who in their right mind would bring with them a phone to the bridge? You are on WATCH… not hanging out at the roller rink with your palz!
Duck Boat Incident
[QUOTE=Louis;82678]Duck Boat Incident[/QUOTE]
Thats my first thought that came to mind.
Please tell us what company is letting people go for having their cell phone with them on watch?
Where I’m at right now the office calls our cells even though we have a sat phone and they expect us to answer, but I am treated like an adult and they don’t have time to play games like that to try and catch us doing bad things. Hell we even give the client our cell numbers because they work better then the sat phone.
Frankly this is going to go the way of the discussion about using the internet on watch.
When the boats tied up and everything is in order do what ever. Just keep an ear out for the radio and answer when the client calls. Obviously when under way its sitting on the counter being ignored.
edited for fat fingers used on my phone while tied to the dock.
Besides being a PHONE, my “PDA” is a calculator, MP3 Player, Calendar, Daily Planner, Stopwatch, Alarm Clock, Timer, Nautical Almanac, Digital Map, Flash Light, and many more!!! I understand no phone at the rig, no phone when carrying dangerous goods, no phone when transiting inside 12 nm… but no phone at the dock??? then you leave your phone in the car when you come to my boat… and better yet, leave your phone off in the car because answering it while you drive between the lines is way worse than me answering my phone when the closest thing is 6 minutes away at ALL TIMES! There is a time and place for everything… if an required to carry the company cell phone all day everyday, why the hell would I not be allowed to carry my own? Safety??? WTF.
You are right in many ways, unfortunately some office folks and crew for that matter lack something that is very rare…common sense.
Captains having a phone? Of course. Cheng’s having a phone? Yes. 3AE or 3/m on watch needing a cell phone? Nope
Guys, when I started this tread, I meant that people are getting punished for having their phones on watch while idle at the dock.
It would be pure stupidity and recklessness to use it while driving/dp offshore.
I don’t always talk on my phone, but when I do I make sure I do it backing into the slip at C-Port 1.
Nicely done…
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Where I work the cell phone does not leave the bunk-room or else you are written up,
and I am very glad of this policy because some people are on the cell all day and night & can not concentrate on their immediate surroundings or focus on their job.
and my safety is in their hands.
[QUOTE=JW-Oceans;82705]Besides being a PHONE, my “PDA” is a calculator, MP3 Player, Calendar, Daily Planner, Stopwatch, Alarm Clock, Timer, Nautical Almanac, Digital Map, Flash Light, and many more!!! I understand no phone at the rig, no phone when carrying dangerous goods, no phone when transiting inside 12 nm… but no phone at the dock??? then you leave your phone in the car when you come to my boat… and better yet, leave your phone off in the car because answering it while you drive between the lines is way worse than me answering my phone when the closest thing is 6 minutes away at ALL TIMES! There is a time and place for everything… if an required to carry the company cell phone all day everyday, why the hell would I not be allowed to carry my own? Safety??? WTF.[/QUOTE]
I like to carry it about to capture those “Kodak moments” you get from time to time at sea… in airplane mode obviously…
Of course, one would hate to get an unwanted call to interrupt the perfect picture!
[QUOTE=GYRO;82654]There seems to be a new trend in the oilfield industry, people are being let go for having their personal cell phone on them while on watch. Little harsh if ask me… Advice, do not answer any calls from your vessel managers on “your” cell when on watch.[/QUOTE]
It’s standard policy now on rigs, at least here in Australia - when you board if you have a cell phone it’s tagged, turned off, and handed to the Rig Safety Super.
Ditto on the intrinsically safe issue for control of ignition sources, but the other concern with cell phones on rigs is that it could set off explosives or detonators used for perforating operations. I’m honestly not sure of how likely this is - I’ve never heard of it happening, and I do MAE risk for rigs for a living, but it’s become standard practice for drilling contractors and confirmed by a few well services guys I’ve met.
I agree in theory, that personal cell phones on watch are generally a bad thing. As mate on watch though, I occasionally need it. I am expected to call surveyors and give them an hour’s heads up while loading and trimming the vessel. Chances are, the ship’s phone is up in the wheelhouse and I will have to be off the deck/dock for about ten minutes to get up to the bridge, make the call and return. Other times, approaching a load/unload port the ship’s cell phone isn’t receiving a signal when I have to call a dock boss somewhere, but my cell will have a signal. So yeah, I use mine for business on watch. The woman can wait til I get offwatch.