IMPROVINGCOMMUNICATIONATSHIFTHANDOVER07September2006FINALVERSIONThisshifthandoverauditmethodologyisanadaptedversionofmethodspreparedbyTheKeilCentrefortheUKHealth&SafetyExecutive’sOffshoreSafetyInspectors.ItisreproducedwiththekindpermissionofHSE.2TABLEOFCONTENTS1.AboutthisAuditMethodology.................................................................32.OverviewofShiftHandover....................................................................43.OverviewofMethodology.......................................................................63.1Topics..............................................................................................63.2Methods...........................................................................................94.OrganisationalPolicyandProcedures..................................................105.SelectionandDevelopmentofStaff......................................................206.CriticalIncidents/ContinuousImprovement...........................................267.Operations............................................................................................308.KeyPostHolders..................................................................................449.KeyPostHolders’DirectReport...........................................................5410.ReviewandEvaluation......................................................................6231.AboutthisAuditMethodologyABACKGROUNDRecentresearch1hashighlightedthatfailuresincommunicationbetweenshiftshavebeenamongstthecontributorycausalfactorsinseveralaccidents/incidentsoffshore.Atpresent,nosingledocumentexistswhichdefinesgoodpracticeorsuggesthowtoassessorimprovecurrentpractice.PURPOSETheaimofthismethodologyistocharacterisethetypeandqualityofshifthandoveractivitiesandtoinfluencetheimprovementofcurrentpractice.Specificobjectivesinclude•Reviewoforganisationalpolicyandprocedures•Reviewofselectionanddevelopmentofkeystaff•Identificationofcriticalincidents•Gainingideasforcontinuousimprovement•Examiningshifthandover(andcrewchangeoffshore)•QuestioningandobservingkeypostholdersDEVELOPMENTOFMETHODOLOGYThismethodologyisbasedonHSEcontractresearchconductedbyRonnyLardner,aCharteredOccupationalPsychologistemployedbyTheKeilCentre,Edinburgh.Priortolaunchingthisinspectionproject,abriefingseminarwasheldwhichwasattendedbyover60seniorsafetyandoperationspersonnelfrommajoroffshoreoperatorsandcontractors.Theseminaroutlineddevelopmentsonthetopicofoffshoresafety,explainedtheimplicationsofrecentresearchandoutlinedthismethodology.Delegatesfoundtheproposedprojectrelevant,andsuggestedextraattentionshouldbepaidtospecificareas.Approximately50%ofdelegatespresentindicatedtheyknewofaccidents/incidentsornear-missesintheircompanyrelatedtofailureofcommunicationatshifthandover.1EffectiveShiftHandover-ALiteratureReviewOffshoreTechnologyReportOTO96003-seehttp://www.hse.gov.uk/research/otopdf/1996/oto96003.pdf42.OverviewofShiftHandoverThissectionofthemanualsummarisesthekeypointscontainedinHSEOffshoreTechnologyReportOTO96003,seehttp://www.hse.gov.uk/research/otopdf/1996/oto96003.pdf.IMPORTANCEOFSHIFTHANDOVERTherearethreepublishedincidentsintheUKoffshoresectorinwhichfailureofcommunicationormisunderstandingsbetweenshiftshaveledtolossoflife,propertydamage,seriousinjury,lostproductionandadverseenvironmentalimpact.CRITICALINCI...