Health & Safety

Navigating Risk: So Everyone Goes Home Safe

GPS Marine and Civil Services Ltd operates in complex marine and civil engineering environments where risks are present and conditions can change quickly.

Protecting our people and everyone affected by our work is fundamental to how we plan, manage and deliver every project. We do not accept unmanaged risk: work only proceeds when it is understood, properly controlled and safe.

Safety is not separate from the job—it is how the job is done.

Safety First at GPS MACS

Safety First defines the standard we expect across our operations. It means understanding what could go wrong, putting the right controls in place and maintaining control throughout the task.

Our employees, contractors and partners all share responsibility for identifying hazards, managing risk and contributing to a safe working environment. Everyone is encouraged to speak up, challenge unsafe work and support those around them.

Navigate Risk

GPS MACS has adopted Navigate Risk as our practical approach to managing health and safety across the business.

Built around Plan – Control – Challenge – Confirm, it guides how we prepare for work, manage risks, respond to changing conditions and confirm that controls remain effective.

Navigate Risk is embedded across our operations, helping our teams deliver work safely, consistently and professionally.

Our Critical Safety Rules
The GPS MACS Critical Safety Rules define the minimum standards for the activities with the greatest potential for serious harm.

They apply to everyone working for or on behalf of GPS MACS and cover essential areas such as planning and controlling work, competence, lifting operations, temporary works, working near water, work at height and the use of safe and suitable equipment.

The rules are non-negotiable. If they cannot be followed or the required controls are not in place, the work must stop until it can be completed safely.

How We Manage Safety

Safety is considered throughout every stage of project delivery—from early planning and design through to mobilisation, construction, marine operations and completion.

Our approach includes:

Competent and experienced project teams.
Task-specific risk assessments and agreed methods of work.
Effective planning of lifting, marine and temporary works.
Daily briefings, toolbox talks and workforce consultation.
Inspection and maintenance of plant, vessels and equipment.
Emergency and rescue arrangements suited to the work.
Site inspections, audits and leadership engagement.
Investigation and learning from incidents, near misses and observations.

These arrangements allow us to manage the particular challenges associated with docks, waterways, heavy plant, lifting operations, diving activities and changing marine conditions.

Challenge, Report and Learn

See Risk – Challenge It – Report It

Everyone working for GPS MACS has the authority and responsibility to challenge something they believe may be unsafe.

Concerns, observations and near misses are reported so that action can be taken before someone is harmed. We use feedback and lessons learned to strengthen our controls, improve our methods and share learning across the business.

No one is expected to continue working where they genuinely believe that people, the environment or the project may be placed at unacceptable risk.

Working Together

Strong safety performance depends on clear communication and cooperation between GPS MACS, our clients, designers, contractors and supply-chain partners.

We engage with the people carrying out the work, involve them in planning and encourage open conversations about risk. This practical, collaborative approach helps ensure that agreed controls reflect the task and the conditions experienced at the point of work.

We look out for one another, communicate clearly and take pride in doing the job safely and correctly.

Certification and Continual Improvement

GPS MACS operates an Integrated Management System certified to ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety, alongside ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO 14001 for environmental management.

Our management system provides a structured framework for identifying hazards, managing risks, monitoring performance and continually improving how we work.

We regularly review our arrangements using inspections, audits, workforce feedback, incident learning and management review. This ensures that health and safety remains part of everyday decision-making and continues to develop alongside our operations.

Health and Safety Information

Further information about our health and safety arrangements can be found in the following documents:

View Our Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Policy

View the Navigate Risk Overview

View Our Critical Safety Rules

For further information about health and safety at GPS MACS, please contact us