E & P Forum Land Transport Safety Management Guidelines
Authors: Barber S. , Carouso M. , Covil M. , Finch R. , Godsman J.M. , Kearns J. , Thonger R. , Lebesque E. , Thomas I. 
Published: December 2007

S. Barber, Azerbaijan Intl. Oil Co; M. Carouso and M. Covil, IAGC; R. Finch, Shell E&P; J.M. Godsman, Schlumberger Dowell, J. Kearns, BHP Petroleum; R. Thonger, Geophysical Safety Resources; E. Lebesque, Geo-Train; and I. Thomas, E&P Forum.

Introduction

Against a general background of falling lost time injuries the number of serious incidents and fatalities in the upstream E&P industry involving motor vehicles employed in land transport remains stubbornly high (Figure 1).

In consequence the E&P Forum has prepared guidelines to provide the E&P industry with clear guidance and a shared aim in minimising vehicle incidents and their costs.

Logistics and land transport are multifunctional activities involving personnel throughout the E&P industry. All those involved in land transport share a joint commitment to managing land transport risks in their operation and to preventing incidents and fatalities as stated in their HSE policies. Historically management's focus has been on those activities which have a higher perceived risk. This attention has resulted in significant reductions in the number of accidents in these areas. The management of land transport safety requires the same approach and the same proactive emphasis as the management of other HSE risks within the business activity. Companies should have in place a management system for land transport operations based on a full and careful appraisal of the risks, followed by a clear management strategy to minimise and control those risks to a level as low as reasonably practicable.

Land transport safety management is a challenge for which there are no easy solutions but which needs to be actively managed. It requires commitment from the top, and the attention of competent line managers to achieve. It will respond to the same process as the other HSE risks.

The aim should be to ensure that all vehicle movements are managed through vehicle selection, provision of vehicles and transport services, equipment outfit and vehicle allocation, and with equal care and attention to the selection and training of drivers. The management of this process needs to be controlled by clearly identified personnel with defined responsibilities working to agreed standards.

Structure of E&P Forum Land Transport Safety Guidelines

With industry recognition of the high cost of vehicle accidents the E&P Forum was asked by its member companies to address this issue and has in consequence developed guidelines to assist in this process. The E&P Forum Land Transport Safety Guidelines (Ref. 1) is in two main parts. The first part of the guideline is a management overview for the senior management in the organisation setting out why a land transport safety management strategy is necessary, the benefits it will bring and stating the requirements necessary to achieve this aim. The framework of this section of the guidelines follows the E&P Forum HSE Management Systems Guidelines to permit Land Transport safety to be managed as an integral part of the HSE Management process.

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