Hearts and Minds: The Status After 15 Years Research

Abstract

Abstract In 1986 Shell International Exploration and Production started sponsoring a research programme to better understand why accidents occur and what can be done to avoid them. After 15 years of research involving the universities of Leiden, Manchester and Aberdeen it is time to take stock of the know-how that has been generated and analyse how this has changed life in Shell Companies. Both the theory and the practical tools to make the theory accessible for a wide audience are outlined in this paper. Introduction The early contacts between Shell International and the psychological department of Leiden university stem from 1986. Soon thereafter Manchester university became involved and, in the nineties, Aberdeen university. Research initially focused on understanding the factors causing accidents and human behaviour. More recently the studies have shifted focus to human error and the violation of procedures, and methods to characterise and improve HSE culture. An essential part of the recent research has been concentrating on change processes to bringing about lasting HSE improvements. Parallel to the research program, Shell Companies adopted a systematic approach to the management of safety, introducing the principles of Enhanced Safety Management in 1985. Following the Piper-A disaster and Lord Cullen's report, Safety Cases, and later on HSE Cases and HSE Management Systems were implemented in Shell Companies. For several years now Shell E&P companies have HSE management systems and cases in place with the environmental part certified to ISO 14001 standards. A description of the results of the research on Human Behaviour, now referred to as the "Hearts and Minds" programme, has to be seen in the above context. The information given in this paper is not a chronological record of the last 15 years but an interpretation, with the benefit of hindsight, of the meaning of the research. Several of the concepts discussed have been presented in detail at previous SPE conferences1,2,3,4. In the description of the various concepts it is necessary to have a good understanding of the basics of HSE management. Figure 1 provides a simple overview of the essential actions and conditions to manage HSE:Understand the nature of the hazards in the work environment and the way in which these can escalate to something with undesirable consequences for people, environment, assets or reputationMake sure that barriers are put in place, and kept in place in optimal condition to prevent a path opening up through the holes in the barriers (nothing is perfect in this world, so barriers can fail). The barriers can be hardware e.g. seatbelts in cars, pressure relief valves, firewater pumps etc. or procedural such as speed limits and weather limitations.