Safety Leadership that Engages the Workforce to Create Sustainable HSE Performance

Abstract

Abstract This paper focuses on what it takes to create sustainable HSE performance. It outlines the journey that an Oil & Gas Producer in Central Europe has taken to create a HSE Culture where health, safety and environment are an integral part of business. Since September 2004 this E&P company has been on a journey to change its HSE culture. This has required new understanding of what safety leadership actually is and the very powerful role that leadership has in engaging the workforce to create a HSE Culture which is committed to an injury free workplace. The results achieved in HSE performance improvement that are presented in this paper are well documented through KPIs over a 5 year period. The business case and the commercial sustainability of the Safety Leadership approach is clearly presented through multi-million dollar savings. The experience of this change in approach is that it is sustainable and readily implemented; however, the fundamental principles are not well understood by many E&P companies. Many E&P companies are continuing to invest heavily in a flawed approach.