The Management of Contractor HSE

Abstract

Abstract This paper describes the approach developed by Petroleum Development Oman to effectively manage the Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) aspects of contracted work. The HSE management of contracted work forms part of the Company's overall Safety Management System (SMS) and utilises a systematic management approach to the HSE aspects of contracted work. This enables managers to apply integrated and compatible management controls to the HSE as well as the technical and commercial aspects of the work from project inception through contract award and execution to contract close out. The significant features of this new approach are: Contract management activities which are safety critical are identified and the roles and responsibilities of personnel responsible for carrying out these activities are clearly defined. The varying HSE competence of contractors is recognised by a registration and pre qualification process. It requires the consideration of the hazards, prior to the contract award stage. This forms the basis of the health, safety and environmental specification to be met and provides a benchmark against which the contractors tender proposals can be objectively assessed prior to contract award. A comprehensive and documented programme implemented by the Company including pre-start audits to monitor the compliance by the contractor with the HSE specification provides for an objective assessment of HSE performance against which penalties and/or incentives can be applied. A comprehensive review of the HSE performance at the end of the contract enables an accurate reassessment of the contractors HSE competence.