Abstract
Workforce involvement has received much attention in the UK offshore industry since the Cullen Report in 1990. The concept is, of course, well known. Its application to offshore safety by operators and contractors has provided the opportunity to make full use of the experience and knowledge of the whole offshore population in a controlled effort to improve safety performance. Cultural and economic pressures are reinforcing the need to maximise the full potential available from the workforce while allowing management to exercise their legitimate control. Real benefits have been achieved including improved understanding and contribution to QRA work and in the handling of emergency situations wherfe other groups effectively become an addition to the existing workforce. As safety performance improves it becomes progressively harder to achieve further gains. A genuine and enduring participation by the workforce and line management in all issues affecting safety is needed if the current progress is to be sustained.
