Dr. Marshall Watson and Dr. Changwon Son from Texas Tech University have secured an $855,750 grant from the NASEM Gulf Research Project to address offshore safety concerns.

Dr. Marshall Watson from the Department of Petroleum Engineering and Dr. Changwon Son from the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing & Systems Engineering have been honored with an $855,750 research grant from the NASEM Gulf Research Project.

This significant recognition positions Texas Tech among a select group of five schools acknowledged for their outstanding projects. Their collaborative effort aims to bolster offshore safety by focusing on SURE programs: stop-work authority, ultimate work authority, reporting unsafe conditions, and employee participation.

Despite these programs being integrated into the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement's Safety and Environmental Management System back in 2013, persistent issues remain. To address the prevalent challenges of inadequate safety culture and a lack of hazard awareness, the team will utilize the grant to launch a comprehensive "SURE Toolbox" program.

This initiative will encompass educational resources, training materials, operational guidelines, observation and reporting tools, user manuals, team safety meeting protocols, and data analysis, aiming to foster a safer working environment.