ESSO AUSTRALIA'S APPROACH TO SAFETY MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Esso Australia Ltd.'s current company-wide safety initiatives are aimed at challenging all employees and contractors to think about steps they can take to help move towards an injury-free workplace.

The development and practical application of a number of occupational safety initiatives have contributed towards Esso employees achieving a period approaching 13 million workhours (nearly five years) without a Lost Time Injury (LTI) and which also assisted Esso's contractor workforce to achieve a period of more than 3 million work hours LTI free w hile performing exploration, heavy construction, drilling, production and maintenance operations.

Esso produces 32 million litres of crude oil per day and up to 25 million cubic metres of gas per day from 18 Bass Strait platforms, and two onshore oil/gas facilities on behalf of the Esso/BHP Petroleum joint venture (Fig 1). More than 1200 employees and 800–1,000 contractors are involved in operations involving a high level of production drilling and construction activity.

This level of safety performance has been achieved through the unwavering commitment and dedication from all levels in the organisation to create a safety culture which is genuinely accepted by employees and contractors as one of their primary core personal values.

The framework for Esso's safety management is Esso's 'Operations Integrity Management System' (OIMS). This requires that all operations adopt a structured approach to safety management with particular emphasis on risk management including continuously looking for opportunities to improve safety management processes.

We have been active in developing and refining innovative personal and work group risk management tools (Steback 5x5 and Task Analyss). These tolsare designed to promote increased levels of shop floor involvement in identifying and addressing safety issues, improving first line supervisor involvement and safety skills, and nurturing a '24-hour' safety culture which extends beyond the workplace into the home and family environment. The combined effect of these initiatives is helping create a mindset that n level of injury (not even first aid) is acceptable regardless of the activity being undertaken. It promotes the expectation that everyone approaches their daily work with the mindset that 'all injuries are preventable!'