Urban Kjellén

Integrating analyses of the risk of occupational accidents into the design process Part I: A review of types of acceptance criteria and risk analysis methods

Abstract The Norwegian Risk analysis regulations for the offshore industry require the development of risk acceptance criteria on the part of the oil companies and the use of risk analysis to prove that the acceptance criteria are met. These regulations are examples of a general trend among European legislators to specify the use of risk analysis as a basis for decisions which affect the level of safety. The paper focuses on analyses during the design phases of the risk of occupational accidents. In the first part of the paper, the consistency between available criteria based on measures of the risk of occupational accidents and risk analysis methods is examined. The aim is to evaluate the feasibility of meeting the requirements of the Risk analysis regulations in the area of occupational accidents by applying the present state of knowledge. It is concluded that there are no combinations of types of acceptance criteria and risk analysis methods that cover the full range of occupational accidents and which are unbiased in relation to the size of the installation. Needs of further developments of suitable risk analysis methods are identified. In part II, a new risk analysis method, Comparison analysis, is outlined together with results from the application of the method in a case study. The method fills a gap concerning theoretical estimations of the expected number of lost time injuries per one million hours of work.

Economic effects of implementing internal control of health, safety and environment: A retrospective case study of an aluminium plant

Internal control (IC) is a key regulatory strategy in Norway to ensure, that companies comply with the safety, health and environment (SHE) legislation. According to the IC regulations, it is mandatory for the companies to establish formal SHE management systems. A retrospective case study of an aluminium plant, covering ten years, is presented. During this period, a restructuring program took effect. An upgrade of the plants SHE management system based on IC principles from the offshore industry, was an integrated part of this program. An evaluation of this program has focused on its economic effects. Results show that significant improvements in the SHE results have been accomplished. Managements priorities of IC have not paid back from a SHE perspective, due to the low costs to the company of SHE related losses. IC may be economically sound, only if its synergistic effects on the total restructuring program are considered. At the studied plant, a unique set of conditions existed when the restructuring program was implemented. Experiences from the case study point especially at the importance of two factors in implementing IC. One factor is plant managements motivation, where the corporate policy and the high consequences of severe accidents have played vital parts. The second is the need of integrating IC in a comprehensive management strategy.

Integrating analyses of the risk of occupational accidents into the design process — Part II: Method for prediction of the LTI-rate

In part I of this paper, combinations of types of acceptance criteria and risk analysis methods applicable to the field of occupational accidents were reviewed. It was concluded that there is a general lack of risk analysis methods for use in combination with quantitative acceptance criteria based on standard risk measures such as the lost-time in jury frequency rate. Part II outlines a risk analysis method, Comparison analysis. The method has been developed for use in evaluations of design concepts of offshore installations and predicts the lost-time injury frequency rate during the operational phase. Results and experience from a comparison analysis that was performed during the design of a drilling rig are presented and evaluated in relation to the requirements of the Norwegian Risk analysis regulations for the offshore industry. The results are also compared to operational experience during the two first years of operation. It is concluded that comparison analysis meets the different formal requirements of the Risk analysis regulations. There are potentials of improvements through stricter definitions of decision rules and assumptions to be used in performing the analysis.

Adapting the application of risk analysis in offshore platform design to new framework conditions

Abstract This paper reviews results and experiences from a problem driven method development process within an ongoing oil field development project. Primary driving forces have been the NORSOK initiative to reduce overall project costs and new legislation on health, safety and environment. Four cases are presented, where risk analysis methods and practices have been changed to meet new needs. These cover needs of input to the selection of one platform concept from alternative standard concepts, specification and qualification of cost-efficient safety measures and analysis of the risk of occupational accidents. It is concluded that research may support the development processes through systematic evaluation and documentation. Significant areas of interest are standardization of risk acceptance criteria, development of risk analysis methods for special applications and evaluations of safety management programmes.