Defining and Assessing Safety Culture in High Reliability Systems

Flin, R., O’Connor, P., Mearns, K., & Gordon, R. (1998). Crew resource management for
offshore teams: Lessons from aviation. Paper presented at the 1998 SPE International
Conference on Health, Safety and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration and
Production. Caracas, Venezuela.
A human factors training program—Crew Resource Management (CRM) was presented and
introduced into offshore industry.
CRM is “using all the available resources—information, equipment, and people—to achieve safe
and efficient flight operations”. The teaching methods used in CRM training in aviation include
lectures, classroom training, practical exercises, case studies, and films. Six core topics were
established through accidents analysis, pilot interviews, and observations of flight crews in
simulators: team work, leadership, situational awareness, decision making, communication, and
personal limitations. Three methods for assessing the outcomes of CRM training were discussed,
which include crew behavior, students’ attitudes, and learning and motivation.
The rationale for CRM training offshore was given. Finally, two examples in which CRM
training has been used by a major North See Oil company and a form of CRM training called
Emergency Resource Management training were presented.
Flin, R., O’Connor, P., Mearns, K., & Gordon, R. (1999). Crew resource management for
offshore production and maintenance. Paper presented at the 1999 Offshore Europe
Conference. Aberdeen, Scotland.
Crew Resource Management (CRM), which is widely used in aviation, is adapted for offshore
teams. The training is delivered over two days, and consists of six core topics: situation
awareness, decision making, communication, team coordination, fatigue and shiftwork, and
stress.
The background of CRM in aviation and the rationale for CRM training for offshore teams were
provided in this article. A prototype offshore CRM course was described. Also, methods of
evaluating the training (crew behavior, participants’ attitudes, and learning and motivation), and
suggestions for improving the training course were identified.
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