Too many overlook decommissioning safety — and it shows. Scott Thompson of Gerritsen Group UK breaks down why this final project phase needs the same rigor as installation, and how proactive planning prevents major risks.
By Scott Thompson, Health & Safety Manager - Gerritsen Group UK
“In my career, I’ve seen more incidents occur during the final phases of a project than during the initial build. Why? Because too many people treat decommissioning as a formality rather than a phase that carries its own risks.”
In industrial environments, safety protocols are rigorously applied during construction, commissioning, and installation. That’s a given. But I’ve learned over two decades that safety is just as crucial — if not more so — during decommissioning and transport. Unfortunately, this phase is often underestimated, perceived as the “end of the line” rather than a controlled, high-risk operation in its own right.
I’ve been involved in dozens of international projects across Europe and the UK, and I’ve seen firsthand what can go wrong when decommissioning is rushed, poorly coordinated, or lacks a structured safety strategy. That’s precisely why, at SSMI — together with our strategic partner Gerritsen Group — we place safety at the core of every operation. Our comprehensive and disciplined approach ensures strict adherence to HSE compliance standards, combining industry best practices with proactive risk management from planning through execution.
During decommissioning, systems are often still energized. Hydraulic pressure, residual current, stored mechanical energy — all of these can pose serious threats. Unlike installation, where components are clean, calibrated, and positioned in a controlled sequence, decommissioning deals with:
Too many teams treat decommissioning as a reverse engineering job — it’s not. It’s a critical operation requiring its own risk assessment and methodical planning.
Before any tool is lifted, I will begin with a full Pre-Project Safety Assessment. This involves:
I often say: “First understand what you must do, then you can understand how you must do it”
Transport is not just logistics. When not performed in strict accordance with transport safety standards — such as properly securing the load — it becomes a serious moving hazard. Fortunately, SSMI benefits from a outstanding partnership with Gerritsen, who have been the trusted transport provider for large-scale and exceptional loads for over 25 years.
Equipment that’s been safely secured in one location becomes unstable once lifted, rotated, or transported. Every transport plan I approve includes:
One incident I investigated involved an oversized load that wasn’t adequately secured — despite having passed a visual check. The root cause? The method of securing the load to its transport frame by the manufacturer did not correctly factor in dynamic load shifting. We worked closely with the manufacturer to improve the transport frame securing method, and we updated our standard operating procedures that same week.
In my role, I believe safety is not only a framework — it’s a must and at SSMI and Gerritsen it’s a culture. Before execution, I lead team briefings to ensure everyone understands their roles, the risks, and the controls in place.
During project execution, I carry out live observations and real-time adjustments. If conditions change, or a new potential hazard presents itself, we stop and reassess. At SSMI and Gerritsen, we firmly believe that taking 30 minutes to reassess is a small investment compared to the potential consequences of a safety incident — including multiple days of disruption and a compromised project schedule.
For clients, safety is often viewed as a compliance checkbox. But for us, it’s the foundation of operational excellence. When safety is embedded at every stage — including decommissioning — we reduce the risk of:
In my experience, the most successful projects are those where safety isn’t reactive — it’s embedded in the DNA of the process.
To project managers, procurement officers, and operations leads reading this: don’t treat decommissioning as an afterthought. Bring your safety team in early. Let SSMI and Gerritsen assist you in assessing the risks, map the controls, and guide the process from the ground up. Because if you plan for safety, you plan for success.
— Scott Thompson
Health & Safety Manager, Gerritsen Group UK
20+ years in global industrial decommissioning & transport safety
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