Health and safety research and development

programmes in Norway

ICRARD MEETING – JUNE 2006

Øyvind Tuntland,Director for professional competence,

Petroleum Safety Authority Norway

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National R & D programme

HSE Petroleum (“Health, safety and working environment in the petroleum sector” 2002 – 2006)

Integrated part of PETROMAKS programme, which is the umbrella for most of the petroleum-oriented research supported by the Research Council of Norway

Based on an initial three-partide prioritization, the main areas of HES research within the programme are

"HSE culture“ "Change - organisation - technology“ "Decision-support tools“ "Physical work environment and health".

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Examples of projects focusing on MTO interplay in current programme

Bora – Barrier and operational risk analysis – risk acceptance criteria – including the human and organisational elements

Safety challenges in the step change towards integrated and remote operations

Mindfull practices in offshore gas and drilling

Managerial aspects of HSE culture

HSE culture at different levels – organisational, national and global issues.

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HSE research in a wider perspective

OG21 – The Government's technology strategy for the petroleum activities

Research and development measures under OG21

Petromaks – including HSE petroleum (NOK 215 in 2006) Programme notes up for review The PSA's strategy proposals

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The HSE White Paper – especially as regards R&D

The Government's White Paper "Health, environment and safety in the petroleum activities" was presented in April 2006

The White Paper concludes that R&D is an important measure to ensure that the petroleum activities is at the forefront as regards continuous improvement of requirements and decisions

HSE-R&D – important contribution to multi-party cooperation in cases where there are common perceptions on the need for knowledge

The objective is to achieve a wider foundation for the HSE perspective in the technology and R&D organisation in Petromaks (northern areas, well control, e-operations)

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The HSE White Paper (2) Developments which create particular need for knowledge as

regards HSE risk managemenrt: Integrated operations (automation, new ICT solutions, new

organisation forms, operative risk analyses) Internationalisation Comprehensive risk management – general security, development of

the northern areas, human risk contributions Exclusion and inclusive employment sector Other R&D needs Consequences for health and safety from shift work Chemical health risk - historic exposure and long-term effects

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R&D activities under the direction of the PSA R&D projects

Extending the life of existing offshore structures (PhD thesis) Review paper on health and safety effects of shift work in the petroleum

industry – reccommendations for further research Review paper on health risk associated with long-term chemical exposure -

reccommendations for further research A large number of PSA projects funded through strategic

competency development initiative Increasing PSA expertise, e.g MSc and PhD programme Improving PSAs ability to initiate and facilitate R&D activies Supporting and directing industry initiatives in R&D pertaining to HSE

management

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R&D activities – PSA (2)

Example of projects Development of requirements and guidelines for alarm system management Guidelines for developing operator competency in safety critical work systems Assessment of safety risks associated with dependency between safety

systems and process control systems Software development and maintenance – implications for safety in the

petroleum industry Heat exposure of process equipment

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PSA-project: Trends in risk level on the NCS

Purpose measure the impact of safety-related measures in the petroleum industry. identify areas which are critical for safety and in which priority must be given improve understanding of the possible causes of accidents and unplanned situations

identify potential areas for making regulatory changes and for conducting research and development.

Based on two complementary evaluation processes: The registration, analysis and evaluation of data relation to defined situations of hazard

and accident and the efficiency of barriers The performance of sociological analyses using free text analysis of questionnaires,

workshops and interviews

The project focuses on risk to personnel and covers major accidents, occupational accidents, work environment factors and a number of minor accidental events

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Trends in risk level - 2005overall conclusions – risk for major accidents Most indicators related to major accidents show a positive or stable

development in 2004 Most noticeable improvements in 2005:

The number of hydrocarbon releases the lowest since 1996– The reduction target (50% reduction of hc releases > 0,1 kg/sec in 2005 compared

with the average in 2000 - 2002) achieved– The results from from the UK shelf show better results where comparable, but the

difference is decreasing

A few indicators show a negative trend in 2005 The indicator measuring the potential for loss of life in relation with

major accidents is stable

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Trends in risk level - 2005Serious injury to personnel - summary The positive trend (frequency) since 2000 showed a negative

development i 2005, although not significant. The frequency in 2005 is on average for the last 10 years

Injuries within drilling dominates the picture together with construction and maintenance for production facilities.

A positive trend for drilling on MODUs, although higher than on production facilities

The frequency of serious injuries to personnel is higher on the UK shelf than on the Norwegian shelf. Fatality frequency is more than 2,5 times higher on the UK shelf than on the Norwegian shelf

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Further development From 2007 onshore facilities within PSAs area of responsibility will be

included Focus on major accidents and serious personnel injuries

Increased focus on leading indicators Indicators related to barriers ability to prevent and reduce incidents Improving indicators related to occupational illness

– Noise and chemical hazards Focus in the authorities ability to use the results form the project to

influence the industry More info – incl. summary reports in English - on the PSA website,

www.psa.no/risklevels

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For more information on R&D activities in Norway

Try theICRARDweb site!

http://www.icrard.org/templates/Page____200.aspx