Human factors take the stage in Lisbon

IOGP Safety & Security Director Chris Hawkes represented the Association at Galp Energia’s Health, Safety, Environment & Quality Conference in Lisbon on 14 March. Addressing delegates from throughout the company, he focused on human factors and process safety leading indicators. These topics aligned with Galp’s own emphasis on ‘teamwork, individual development, entrepreneurship, results orientation, innovation, continuous improvement and human and environmental safety.’

With over 150 years of history, Galp is Portugal’s leading player in the energy sector – and an IOGP Member.

Chris shared the stage with Lord Cullen of Whitekirk, who led the public enquiry into the causes of – and lessons to be learned from – Piper Alpha. ‘It was both gratifying and sobering to cover very similar themes in our presentations. That shows that despite significant and real advances being made, some of the issues that were around almost 30 years ago when Piper Alpha exploded in the North Sea are still a concern today,’ Chris says.

Appropriately, after the Galp Conference, IOGP’s Human Factors Subcommittee (a part of the Safety Committee) met in Lisbon – again hosted by Galp and chaired by Francesco Ferrarini of ExxonMobil. ‘We discussed several key issues, including human factors in barrier management and demystifying human factors in incident investigations. We also finalized some guidance on behavioural markers for non-technical skills,’ Chris says.

The Galp hosts included Jose Almeida and Marta Figueiredo who, Chris says, ‘were responsible for the two superbly well organized events that provided a welcome Portuguese showcase for the Association’s work.’