Task Critical Analysis
Authors: Casco Alberto D. , Arias Daniel R. 
Published: December 2007

In order to improve the safety behavior of both our own and the contractors' personnel, Pan American Energy LLC designed the risk management tool called Task Critical Analysis.

This tool helps to determine the main risks inherent to tasks carried out by personnel working for the company, and to define which concrete actions could be taken to reduce or eliminate the risks.

This tool is easy to understand and use and gives excellent results. Ref. 1 and 2 show the Matrix' that are used for this tool.

Firstly, all tasks associated with each process must be identified. For this the brainstorming method is convenient, which allows the sorting of chores according to the risks related to them. Once these are defined, each one of them is broken down into steps in order to identify every one of the risks related to each step that has to be carried out to do the task.

The following step is to identify the real risks that the workers are exposed to. This is done by making a list of the potential risks associated to each task. The initial information can be obtained from accident statistics, audits, STOP Cards, etc.

This information will give rise to the first brainstorming session which will give more efficient results.

After identifying all risks related to the respective tasks, the steps are listed in the "task steps vs. risks" (fig. 1) matrix and each step is individually compared to each one of the risks again. For this stage, it is important to have an idea of the magnitude of the risk, whether high, medium or low, for which each team member must have a thorough understanding of the task.

Once the Risk Analysis matrix is complete, the tasks are grouped according to the score obtained. The higher the score, the more risks are involved.

Reading over the matrix, one can immediately identify the aspects, persons, equipment, materials etc. for which the impact is greater.

At this stage it is necessary to make a list of the recommendations to be kept in mind for each step of the task in order to minimize or eliminate the risks, i.e. determine the mitigation alternatives.

The last stage involves studying the proposed solutions regarding economic and technical aspects. By making an impact matrix for each of the proposed recommendations for each step of the task and comparing them to cost, training, technology, material and environment, we can obtain an overall impression before reaching a final decision.

Having carried out the steps listed above, a Potential Risk Report is obtained. This Report must be shared with all workers and personnel involved. Making this information available to everyone will make them aware of the risks involved in the tasks they may be performing.

Each Task Critical Analysis is studied by the HSE Managers in each Business Unit in order to carry out the technical revision and detect new training needs.

Matrix design evaluation

Risk management tools were used, selecting the potential risk matrix from them and combining it with the task critical analysis, as they were considered suitable to our needs.

Application strategy

In order to be able to display the tool to the whole labor force, facilitators were trained within each Management Unit, both among our own personnel as well as those of the contractors.

Deployment of workshop design.

To make deployment effective, a workshop was designed in which Company contractors and supervisors took part. Each Management Unit prepared a listing of the inquest of accidents that occurred during the last two years. This material provides concrete ideas with regards to the task being developed at the moment of the accident.

Deployment of each Management Unit

Once the facilitators have been trained, this tool is deployed by using the same method used in the original workshop.