1. OneBP: Career stories - Rixio Medina
http://global.bpweb.bp.com/news/internal/2013/Q2-2013/nws-131405-rixio-medina-career-story.aspx[5/14/2013 6:49:56 PM]
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Career stories - Rixio Medina
[SOuRce] - Published On 14 May 2013
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Spanning 35 years, Rixio Medina has had a varied career in the safety profession, from
advising firefighters following a fire in which 154 people died in his native Venezuela, to
serving on high-level government bodies and leading different types of audits across the
globe.
Medina joined BP’s Safety and Operational Risk Audit Team, based in Texas, US in
June 2012 having previously worked in a diversity of safety roles, from a fire protection
engineer in Venezuela to serving on the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation
Board (CSHIB) and National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health
(NACOSH).
The memory that stands out the most in in his career was in Venezuela in December
1982 when 154 people were killed after an atmospheric storage tank containing fuel
close to Caracas caught fire and there was a boil-over.
“Many of those who died were firefighters, and my line superior, who was also my
mentor and the guy who got me into the profession and industry, was among them”.
Medina spent three days advising the authorities and firefighters, but the boil-over had
already happened.
“Although I had only five years’ experience, I was the first fire protection engineer in
Venezuela and familiar with the strategies and field practice of fighting tank fires. It was
my job to advise the seasoned firemen there, who looked at me with some scepticism.”
He participated in the investigation, and as a result of that incident, the National Fire
Protection Association went on to make changes to its flammable and combustible
liquids code.
Something that lies close to Medina's heart is the health and safety of Spanish-speaking
workers in the US and it is with this in mind that Medina became a Fellow of the
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE). Having been born in Venezuela and
come to the US for schooling, he noticed that while fatalities and injuries were dropping
amongst most ethnic groups, they were increasing among Hispanic workers.
“For the last seven years, I’ve sponsored, through ASSE, a college scholarship for
bilingual individuals pursuing a college education in occupational safety health. I also
sponsor six annual professional development grants for individuals that want to advance
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2. OneBP: Career stories - Rixio Medina
http://global.bpweb.bp.com/news/internal/2013/Q2-2013/nws-131405-rixio-medina-career-story.aspx[5/14/2013 6:49:56 PM]
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their technical knowledge or peruse professional certification in HSSE. And every time I
have the opportunity to speak on the subject I do”
Oversight of BP’s high hazard assets
BP’s Process Safety Management team (PSM) team have the responsibility to provide
oversight of BP’s high hazard assets. As an auditor for this team, Medina helps to
assess and manage risk, improve safety and verify conformance with BP practices and
procedures.
Since joining BP, he has been participating in different types of audits across the globe -
including Australia, the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
“Most recently, I was at the Whiting Refinery here in the US, on a PSM audit. I really
enjoy the interaction with the business unit and the S&OR colleagues: with the leaders
and the employees at all levels.”
The most important lesson Medina has learnt in life is something that he read a long
time ago by India’s first female Prime Minister, Indira Gandi who said: “There are two
types of people, those who do the work, and those who take the credit”. With this in
mind Medina says he has always tried to concentrate on ‘achieving goals over personal
rewards’.
However his record has led to his work being noticed at a very high level and a highlight
of his career was receiving a call from the White House in 2003, asking him to serve on
the CSHIB. He has also been appointed to NACOSH, the main advisory body for
occupational safety and health in the US, for the fourth time.
Speaking about his role on the12 strong commitee, Medina said: “I’m one of two
occupational safety representatives at NACOSH. My role is to participate in the
committee’s public meetings - I not only look after regulations, programmes or conditions
that may have an impact on workers safety and health, but I also look for things that
may impact the safety professionals themselves in the performance of their work,
contributing to the prevention of work-related fatalities and the reduction of injuries and
illnesses.”
Read more about the S&OR Audit team
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