1. THE RISK MANAGEMENT TOOL BOX
Maximize the Benefit of Leadership Visits
TRAINING / IMPLEMENTING / IMPROVING Hazard Awareness • JHA • QRA • HSE-MS • HSE Plans & Audit • Culture Surveys

2. Copyright Notice
This slide show and the printed materials associated with it are Copyright of the Risk Management Tool Box Pty Ltd (March 2011).
Some materials presented in this training coarse are also Registered Trademarks belonging to the Risk Management Toolbox Pty Ltd.
The Fine Print
Due to the constantly changing nature of government regulations covering Occupational Health and Safety, and the various legislative frameworks and systems of work in countries in which this presentation may be used, it is impossible to guarantee absolute accuracy of the materials contained herein. The owners and publishers, therefore, cannot assume any responsibility for omissions, errors, misprinting, or ambiguity contained within this publication and shall not be held liable in any degree for any loss or injury caused by such omission, error, misprinting or ambiguity presented in this publication or related materials.
The presentation is designed to provide generic information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is provided with the understanding that the owners and publishers are not engaged in rendering specific OHS expert assistance. Where such assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

3. What do Leadership Visits Achieve?
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
What do Leadership Visits Achieve?
On 20th April 2010, control of BPs Macondo Well in the Gulf of Mexico was lost.
Eleven people were killed following explosions on Transocean’s Deepwater Horizon rig and 17 others were injured.
The loss of well control led to the rig sinking .
Oil flowed from the uncontrolled well bore for 87 days, resulting in a huge spill and a catastrophic consequence to the gulf ecosystem.
The incident described above occurred during a VIP “visibility” tour of the rig by four Senior Managers – two from BP and two from Transocean.
All four VIPs were experienced drilling engineers or rig managers and all four spent time focussed on safety during the visit.
So why did the disaster occur – given the presence of experienced Managers?
And what lessons can Leaders learn when they make future VIP visits?

4. Presentation Objectives
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Presentation Objectives
On concluding this presentation, a Leader should be able to:
Describe the HSE purposes of time-in-field site visits;
Describe why a focus on process hazard management is critical during site visits; and
3. Describe 4 key ways in which Leaders can maximise the HSE benefits of time-in-field site visits.

5. Time-in-Field Leadership Visibility
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Time-in-Field
Leadership Visibility
Over the last years, we have argued that a defining characteristic found in organizations with more mature HSE culture is the visible presence of members of Senior Management on the “shop floor”.
The concept of “time-in-field” has become an established aspect of performance arrangements by which Senior Managers are measured.
Time-in-field is now frequently a KPI and the number of site visits completed by Management is the standard HSE “leading indicator”.
In light of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, lets look at some of the lessons to be learnt on maximizing the benefit of time-in-field visits.

6. The VIP Visit to Deepwater Horizon
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
The VIP Visit to Deepwater Horizon
Background to the VIP visit
Four VIPs arrived on Deepwater Horizon about seven hours prior to the blow-out.
Their visit was part of a regularly scheduled “management visibility tour”.
The purpose of the tour was informal - to make management visible to the crew.
The tour also had a variety of specific HSE purposes.
Congratulate the crew on seven-years LTI-free;
Check on close-out of a specific slip-hazard issue;
Check fall-arrest harnesses in the safety locker;
Tour the rig and question the crew about safety culture issues;
Increase crew awareness about campaigns associated with “hand injuries” and “dropped objects”; and
More generally, to transfer HSE lessons from one rig to another.

7. © The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Missed Opportunities
What was the focus of attention for the VIPs during their visit?
Although largely informal, the HSE purposes of the visit were primarily focused on Occupational Hazard Management – management of routine activities.
That is, the VIPs were checking relatively minor issues like slips and trips, falls, dropped objects and hand injuries.
They were not focused on the major hydrocarbon containment issues – on the high-risk Process Safety Management (PSM) hazards involved with well control. US Government enquiries1 into the disaster found:
No formal auditing of what was going on in the drilling shack (centre of operations);
Not enough questions about the well testing procedure in use;
No verification that well testing procedures were being followed;
No questions about monitoring of mud/water/oil flows to/from the mud pits;
No intervention to verify the well was secure – no use of stop-work authority.
1http://

8. Lessons to Learn from Disaster
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Lessons to Learn from Disaster
Lessons for Leadership Site-visits
VIPs should focus on higher-risk process hazard management.
VIPs should use Think 6, Look 6TM before the site visit to identify major accident hazards and the incidents that can occur.
The Safety Case and risk assessments are good sources of information about process hazards.
Use the VIP visit to check and verify procedures that relate to PSM are adequate – and - being followed on site by workers and local management.
Don’t allow Leaders to be distracted by a focus on lower-risk occupational hazard management issues (e.g., manual handling, use of hand tools, slips and falls, etc.,).
Leaders must focus on the potential highest-risk process hazards.

9. Demonstrate HSE Leadership
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Demonstrate HSE Leadership
The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them.
They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care.
In either case, it is a failure of leadership. General Colin Powell, US Secretary of State
Visibly commit to Process Safety Management
Demonstrate personal care and concern for the welfare of your workforce;
Share your belief that every job can be done safely – without injury or incident;
Check and verify that systems, procedures and processes for managing process hazards are working; and
Check and verify that resources for managing process hazards are available/used.

10. Demonstrate HSE Leadership
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Demonstrate HSE Leadership
Strong leadership is a critical success factor for any HSE Program
Be visible to the workforce;
Demonstrate your personal commitment and accountability for higher-risk process hazard management;
Learn about and focus on positive HSE behaviours and compliance to procedures for process hazard management;
Talk with the workforce, one-on-one and in small groups about process hazard management;
Talk with site managers about process hazard management;
Review a procedure – not just a desk top - ask to see it being implemented; and
Provide information, feedback and positive recognition for “a job well done”.

11. Leadership HSE Checklist
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Leadership HSE Checklist
Safety – questions you could ask
What is the most significant process safety hazard at the site?
What are you doing to manage the process safety hazards?
How is Stop Work Authority used?
How do we know that people follow safe work procedures?
How are you trained for safe work procedures?
What was the last process-safety incident you heard about at the site?
Tell me about your HSE Observation Program. How does it work?
What are the most common “at risk” behaviours seen on this site?
How do you conform to good Management of Change (MOC) relating to process hazards?
Who participates in MOC risk management (e.g., MOC HazOps)?

12. Leadership HSE Checklist
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Leadership HSE Checklist
Environment– questions you could ask
What is the most significant environmental risk at the site?
What are you doing about it?
What would you do if we had a liquid spill or gas release?
How would you respond?
How do you train for emergency response situations?

13. Leadership HSE Checklist
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Leadership HSE Checklist
Health – questions you could ask
What is the most significant health issue at this site?
What are you doing about it?
Do you believe employees and supervisors are always fit for duty while on the job or on call?
If not, what could be improved?
What is your level of workload stress?
How do you ensure work/life balance?
How would you describe the health focus at this facility?

14. Leadership HSE Checklist
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Leadership HSE Checklist
Reliability and efficiency – questions you could ask
What is the most significant root cause of unplanned shutdowns at this facility? How is this determined? How can it be fixed?
Are you using any tools or processes to improve reliability?
How would you describe the reliability focus at this facility….. more on preventative maintenance or reactive?
How well do maintenance and operations work together to improve reliability? What more should be done?
What is being done to streamline daily work processes?
Are there any work processes that seem especially burdensome?
Does your supervisor and management listen and respond well to efficiency or work process improvement ideas?

15. Walk-about Checklist Observations from your walkabout
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Walk-about Checklist
Date of walkabout:
Your name:
Areas visited:
Reasons for walkabout:
Foster trust and show your support;
Provide positive and constructive feedback;
Unlock hidden process hazard problems;
Identify hazards – especially process hazards;
Communicate care and concern;
Create a focus on a positive HSE culture; and
Demonstrate your own commitment to improvement.
Observations from your walkabout
Did you engage with a member of the workforce?
Did you establish rapport? (What’s going on? How are you doing?)
Did you establish understanding about process hazards? (What could go wrong? What process hazards does this involve?)
Did you discuss hazard control measures? (How do you keep the job safe? What will happen if something goes wrong?)
Are there opportunities for improvement? (How can we improve?)

16. Always Identify Hazards
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Always Identify Hazards
Leaders should always ensure that all hazards are identified and appropriately controlled.
This is especially critical when it comes to process hazards.

17. Conclusion Learn the lessons from the Deepwater Horizon disaster
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Conclusion
Learn the lessons from the Deepwater Horizon disaster
Time-in-field site visits by organizational Leaders are an established and important part of any HSE program;
Senior management visibility is critical in achieving a mature HSE culture;
BUT – leadership visits need to be carefully planned and strategically focussed on high- risk issues on site;
Usually, the highest risk issues will relate to Process Hazard Management;
For that reason, Leaders should focus sufficient attention on:
Process hazards rather than (or at least as well as) occupational hazards;
Potential major accident events (loss of containment, explosions, spills) rather than minor incidents (cut fingers, muscle strains, sunburn and such like);
Behaviours relating to process hazard management; and
Procedures being followed (or not followed) for process hazard management.

18. © The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Presentation Test
You should discuss and answer the following questions
What are the HSE purposes of time-in-field site visits?
Why is a focus on process hazard management critical during site visits?
What are four (4) key ways in which Leaders can maximise the HSE benefits of time-in-field site visits?
What else have your learnt?

19. Thank you for your time How can I assist?
© The Risk Tool Box, 2011
Thank you for your time
How can I assist?
I can assist you to develop a strategic approach to Senior Management site visits and time- in-field initiatives. Including:
Training for managers in hazard recognition;
Training for managers in use of risk management tools – Hazard Spotting, JSA, Risk Assessment, HazOp Study, etc;
Preparing procedures and procedure review checklists; and
Implementation of HSE Observation Program during visits.
For more information about a range of Hazard and Risk Management tools that can assist your organization to avoid personal, occupational, and process-hazard disasters, please visit my website:

20. Dr Graham Marshall PhD, MPsych
THE RISK MANAGEMENT TOOL BOX
Maximize the Benefit of Leadership Visits
Dr Graham Marshall PhD, MPsych
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