Eliminating contractor incidents and fatalities by embedding safety at each step in the contractor management framework

Abstract

In 2023, the global oil, gas, and energy sector experienced 27 fatalities across 17 separate incidents, according to data from the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers. A concerning trend is the disproportionate impact on contractors, who accounted for 78% of these fatalities, continuing a pattern observed since 2019. The increasing reliance on contractors within companies’ business models creates inherent safety vulnerabilities due to less direct oversight. Several factors contribute to the rise in contractor-related incidents, including contractors undertaking increasingly higher-risk activities requiring specialised skill sets and competencies not typically held internally, coupled with budget and margin pressures, tight deadlines, high workforce turnover, disparities between contractor qualifications and capability, and differing safety cultures and leadership styles between organisations. Drawing on experience partnering with global oil, gas, and energy clients, it examines how to embed safety within each stage of the contractor management framework: qualification, selection, contract and planning, induction, execution, verification, and closeout. Central to this framework is strong leadership. Leaders must engage and unite teams, and importantly, empower others to do the same. This fosters an environment and culture where employees and contractors prioritise mutual care. Strong leadership cultivates a culture that drives outstanding safety performance, efficiency, and productivity; these elements are intrinsically linked.