Workforce Participation in Safety Case Preparation

Abstract

Abstract The requirement in the United Kingdom for Safety Cases to be prepared and submitted stemmed from the Cullen Inquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster. The Safety Case is the means for an operator or owner of an installation to demonstrate how safe design and operation is achieved. An important part of the preparation process is to consult relevant members of the workforce. This paper discusses how the workforce have been involved in the preparation of Safety Cases. The experience gained in submitting Safety Cases for 9 onshore and offshore installations over the last 2 years is covered with particular emphasis on the role played by the safety committee system, plant and field personnel (staff and contract) and line management. The installations range from large manned oil and gas platforms and an associated onshore gas processing plant, to small single well normally unmanned gas platforms. The main benefits of workforce involvement have been found to be in the participation process itself. This leads to a higher level of workforce "ownership" of the Safety Case. It is concluded that this process has helped to achieve even better workforce communication, understanding and co-operation on safety issues than in the past.