Safety in Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Essay Example

system, several conditions must be met: clear understanding of future production goals, accurate mental representation of the current process state, and an accurate internal model of process dynamics (Kragt and Laandweerd, 1974). Continuous process tasks have certain characteristics that require attention. For example, in industries like oil and gas where there is a long response time between process alterations and effects, effective communication during shift handover becomes increasingly important. In these types of processes, the actions of personnel may not have an immediate effect until subsequent shifts, so inadequate information exchange can lead to disasters (Lardner, 1992). Other characteristics depend on the unique features of each industry performing continuous processes.

Tasks in the offshore industry are performed in geographically isolated areas and with unusual shift patterns. All crew members may leave the facility at the same time, which can lead to more severe communication errors during shift handover. A study conducted in this industry showed that the shift change phase is associated with the lowest level of alertness and performance (Parkes, 1993). Additionally, the offshore industry experiences high levels of noise, increasing the likelihood of miscommunication in verbal interactions (Ross, 1978).