HAZ & ZARD: PROMOTING HAZARD IDENTIFICATION, RISK ASSESSMENT AND POSITIVE SAFETY BEHAVIOUR IN THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY

Abstract

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) represents companies exploring for, and producing, oil and gas in Australia. APPEA has a responsibility to the community and an obligation to its membership to improve the health, safety, and environmental (HSE) awareness of new recruits entering the energy sector from schools and to reinforce awareness and safe behaviour amongst experienced personnel. Unfortunately, however, APPEA noted that school-based HSE training was virtually non-existent and much preexisting lecture-based HSE training was inconsequential because the traditional death by PowerPoint approach did not enable people to think for themselves. In essence, much safety training has failed to capture the hearts and minds of employees. In response, APPEA, with the financial support of ChevronTexaco Australia Pty Ltd and the professional and technical support of An Meá, developed a hazard identification and risk awareness training activity that promotes safety from the heart by actively engaging the minds of students and employees.

The Haz & Zard Safety Awareness Activity is not a lecture or talking-head experience. Haz & Zard is an active process of adult learning that forces trainees and students to think. At a psychological level, Haz & Zard uses a projective technique with computer-generated HSE images across a range of workplace activities. The projective training process enables participants to identify and assess hazards and associated risks, and then define hundreds of appropriate safe behaviours and practices in response. Intra-group discussions further heighten learning and a participant workbook enables the capture and evaluation of training outcomes. To reiterate the main point, there is no place within Haz & Zard for an HSE lecture. Instead, Haz & Zard enables active participation and advanced discussion of a wide range of HSE issues to enhance learning outcomes and motivate positive safety behaviour.