Risk-Based Approach to Fatality Prevention

Abstract

Abstract Over the last 10 years total recordable incident rates (TRIR) within the global oil and gas industry continue to decline whereas fatality rates sustain by an average of five fatalities per year. The objective of a risk-based approach to fatality prevention is to differentiate high-risk work activities from low-risk work activities, assisting organizations in prioritizing resources such as supervision, procedures, and the allocation of trained personnel. The scope of a risk-based approach to fatality prevention includes organizational leadership, first-line supervisors, and personnel performing high-risk activities. Within the oil and gas industry total recordable incident rates continues to decline although a consistent number of fatalities occur each year. The first step to institutionalize a risk-based approach to fatality prevention is to perform a risk- assessment of work activities to determine which activities possess the greatest likelihood of a fatality. The risk assessment is accomplished by reviewing past incidents and selecting the appropriate risk ranking method, such as a process hazard analysis or risk prioritization matrix. Using the results from the risk ranking separate the activities with the greatest likelihood of a fatality into groups and validate against past incident data. Once validation is complete use the high-risk activities to identify integration opportunities within existing processes and procedures. For example, using a risk-based approach to identify hot work in a confined space entry as a high-risk activity the fatality prevention emphasis prompted by integration into existing management processes ensures the appropriate procedures, training and oversight to complete the work safely. The fatality prevention opportunities identified within existing processes and procedures assist the enterprise in business planning ultimately creating a management system shift to provide a higher emphasis where risk is greatest, such as activities where an individual may lose one’s life. In the past the oil and gas industry demonstrates the ability to decrease total recordable incidents although record ability does not necessarily correlate to severity. A risk based-approach to focus on activities where a fatality may occur ensures the appropriate level of management for activities while the existing safety management principles continue to decrease total recordable incidents.