Land transport—risk controls for the upstream industry

Abstract

Land transport and driving safety is one of the highest risks faced by upstream oil and gas operating companies. APPEA has approached the issue by developing a code of practice for land transport activity that board and member companies have endorsed. This extended abstract reviews the risks of transport activities focusing on the key controls recommended to provide a systematic approach, emphasising driver behaviour.

Driver behaviour has been identified as a major contributor to incidents. To improve driver behaviour, a number of Australian companies have introduced In-Vehicle Monitoring Systems (IVMS) during the past few years. There are varied opinions about whether they reduce vehicle incidents; since introduction, results from the IVMS (driving behaviours) are quite interesting especially in remote area operations. The statistics show driver behaviour has improved since installing IVMS.

IVMS shows drivers comply more consistently with road rules, and an overall decrease in IVMS triggers (alerts) during the same time has been observed.

Like all systems, they are only as good as the people who use them. Without reporting and continual feedback and reinforcement on driver behaviour, installing an IVMS would not have as great an impact or influence on driver behaviour if driver feedback and reinforcement were not also aligned with overall driver management. In addition, IVMS should not be used as a way to catch risk takers, but they should be integrated into a business’s health, safety, and environmental management system (HSEMS). This is to first understand driver behaviour and then to be seen as a tool that can help gradually influence driver behaviour.