Description

The Offshore Safety Questionnaire (OSQ) is an assessment instrument developed to examine the perception and implementation of safety practices in offshore facilities, including oil and natural gas extraction platforms.

The questionnaire provides a structured approach to assessing how employees perceive safety practices within their working environment. It focuses on key organizational and operational aspects of safety and can provide information about the broader safety culture within offshore workplaces.

Objective

The primary objective of the OSQ is to identify potential weaknesses in existing safety practices and provide information that can be used to develop strategies for improving safety in offshore facilities.

The information collected through the questionnaire can contribute to understanding the organization’s safety culture, supporting personnel training, and assessing compliance with established safety regulations and procedures.

Assessment Dimensions

According to the provided material, the main areas assessed by the OSQ include:

Safety Policies: Assessment of organizational policies and procedures related to workplace safety.

Training and Awareness: Examination of employees’ perceptions regarding safety-related training and information.

Safety Equipment: Assessment of issues associated with the availability and use of appropriate safety equipment.

Communication and Accident Reporting: Examination of communication processes and procedures for reporting accidents or safety-related incidents.

Safety Culture: Assessment of the broader organizational attitudes, perceptions, and practices associated with workplace safety.

Scoring

Participants typically respond to questionnaire items using a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree).

Overall scores are obtained by summing responses to the relevant items. According to the provided material, higher scores indicate stronger perceptions and implementation of safety practices.

Data Analysis and Use

OSQ data can be analyzed to examine employees’ perceptions of different aspects of offshore safety. Descriptive statistics may be used to summarize responses and identify areas where perceptions of safety practices are relatively stronger or weaker.

Comparative analyses can also be conducted across occupational groups or organizational units where appropriate. The findings can provide information for identifying areas in which safety practices may require further attention or improvement.

Applications

The OSQ can be used to support the assessment of safety practices and safety culture in offshore working environments.

Its findings may assist organizations in identifying weaknesses in safety procedures, planning staff training and awareness initiatives, and developing strategies aimed at improving workplace safety.

Repeated assessments may also be useful for examining changes in employees’ perceptions following modifications to safety policies, training programs, or organizational practices.

References

Mearns, K., Whitaker, S. M., & Flin, R. (2001). Benchmarking safety climate in hazardous environments: A longitudinal, interorganizational approach. Risk Analysis, 21(4), 771–786.

O’Connor, P., & Flin, R. (2003). Crew resource management training for offshore oil production teams. Safety Science, 41(7), 591–609.

Cox, S., & Cheyne, A. (2000). Assessing safety culture in offshore environments. Safety Science, 34(1–3), 111–129.