When an exploratory drilling rig crew receives an order to search for oil in the ocean it prepares not only for the breathtaking landscapes, chef-made meals and weeks away from home – but also for a work that is about as risky as it gets.
In an environment where you are constantly one in mother nature’s peril of an intensely violent explosion, the pressure to do things as safely and as carefully as possible is paramount. Hence why drilling even one well can take years of planning and preparation.
As the crew drills through one section of the sea-floor, they run casing down the hole to prevent collapse. They pour cement around the casing to secure the casing in place, and as the fixture sets in – they drill new sections, one after the other, following the same process – until they reach the bottom, at which they plug the hole.
Throughout the drilling process, the crew undertakes an extensive range of tests and safety precautions, including negative pressure tests, that ensure the well is properly sealed and without leaks.
If a mistake is made along the process it can lead to a rapid and uncontrollable blow-out of gas, mud and sea-water – at which point it will inevitably lead to an explosion which can be catastrophic.
Due to their volatile nature, drilling rigs provide a great tool of visualisation for any organisation seeking to understand how risk ratings are calculated and why they are important.
For example – the deeper the drill goes into the sea-floor the higher the risk of an explosion. It sounds logical, but logic alone is not enough. What has to be considered are the likelihoods and consequences of unwanted events. Essentially, the “meeting point” of likelihood and consequence on any risk matrix will provide an indication called – a risk rating.
A clear understanding of the probability and the severity of risks will help identify what controls are already available and what controls are still required. This will also help evaluate where and how to implement different types of controls depending on the risk.
In our example, the explosion risk rating during the “spudding in” stage – where the drill bit goes through the soft and loose shallow sediments will be far lower than at the last section of the well.
This is partially due to the fact that at a deeper level of the sea-floor there is a higher potential of encountering oil or gas, which is why a Blowout Preventer will be lowered down and installed around the entrance point of the well during this stage.
Of course the technical description provided in this article is just of a high level view to demonstrate how important risk management and mitigation can get. Unlike Oil Rigs, which we are familiar with but have gaps in our experience, Business Safety Management and Compliance technology on the other hand is where our oil reservoirs are bottomless.
KIM by Kynection provides you with the ability to dig deeply into the root causes of your incidents, identify your hazards and non-conformities, assign and manage any corrective and preventive actions required, undertake internal audits and more.
Not all industries and workplaces are the same, yet all industries have their own risks, hazards and the legal responsibility to know what they are and to do everything as best as they practicably can to control, minimise and prevent them. At Kynection we have templates to get you up and running fast and can customise these to suit any business with efficiency and effect.
Having good risk clarity, awareness and control is something that used to be easier said than done. The access to current information through the barriers in paperwork, hand-written notes, lack of training, poor resources, lost records, unchecked certifications, missed maintenance bookings, broken equipment, gaps in communication and the ever increasing work demands feels like preparing for mission-impossible.
And who can blame anyone for finding it nothing but a chore? Yet – facts are facts, and there are three of them to deal with –
1. Workplace Safety laws exist because safety incidents happen in workplaces and have a high impact on human lives and the global economy.
2. Workplace laws mean that both the employer and the employee have legal responsibilities related to Health and Safety in the workplace.
3. KIM by Kynection has all the risk management, prevention and control tools your business will ever need! Including SWMS, JSA’s, SOPs,Training and certification registers, PPE registers, Equipment and Asset management tools and more.
Impressed? Don’t jump the gun just yet – KIM is also a human resources management software! But not a regular human resources management software, but a human resources management software that allows you to achieve all of your Quality Objectives, manage your Risks & Opportunities like a pro, enjoy the convenience of forced workflows and electronic forms and signatures and a top of the range online quoting system with many more features and benefits!
You have the facts, now it’s time for action.
Call us now on 1300 786 272 and book your free demo.