Bow-tie diagrams are emerging as a very useful tool to depict and maintain an up-to-date, real-time, working risk management system embedded in daily operations. They are a proven concept in the worldwide offshore industry. These diagrams provide a pictorial representation of the risk assessment process. This article introduces the bow-tie concept to the downstream and chemical process industries in the United States. The authors believe that bow-tie diagrams can be a resourceful method in the safety and risk practitioner's toolkit to improve performance of the hazard identification and risk assessment process and to demonstrate that major hazards are identified and managed to as low as reasonably practicable. Because of their graphical nature, the biggest advantage of bow-tie diagrams is the ease to understanding of risk management by upper management and operations groups.

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Environmental risk assessment has become a recognized tool to assess the impact of projects and production operations around the world. However, the methodology utilized to assess environmental risks range from simple workshops listing the various project or operational stages and potential environmental impacts to complex HAZIDS/HAZOP workshops. In most cases the workshop and risk assessment success can be based on the number and experience of the professionals present and the level of detail and time allowed for the assessment. The Bow-Tie methodology in risk assessment has been utilized in safety assessments for some time; however, it has not been utilized to any degree with environmental assessment. The Bow-Tie method can significantly reduce the variability of results, which helps to increase the confidence in the findings from the assessment. The Bow-Tie method is a systematic approach to reviewing, selecting and ranking potential risks that provides a foundation for future efforts in control and mitigation. A procedure has been developed to assess environmental risk utilizing the Bow-Tie method similar to the approach applied in safety risk assessments. The Bow-Tie methodology has not been widely utilized in the environmental assessment of upstream operations to date. This paper reviews the process and results of such an effort. The authors have utilized this method to assess the environmental aspects of an engineering design stage for an offshore platform and drilling program and discuss the lessons learned from this experience. Based on the results from this application, the Bow-tie method can be adapted for the evaluation of environmental impacts associated with early-phase development activities, including design phases, project start up and review of changes and new events, and startup operations.

Although the safety case is becoming fairly popular throughout the world, there are also regulatory requirements in regions other than the US for a similar safety case regime. This process of developing and maintaining a safety case model, is not be considered as a mere regulatory item but rather a safety based value proposition for the corporation. This essentially is a "cradle to grave" safety management system for the corporation.In recent years, there have been several waves of discussions in the US to adopt the safety case model. Just like any new potential ordinance awaiting its buy-in from the industry, this has also been a case of differing opinions from the various industrial verticals.However, getting back to the drawing board and taking a look at compliance towards any specific model, the industrial authorities need to take a step back and review the components of a safety case. Doing so will reveal that the majority of these requirements have been already met by the corporation on account of their compliance models -SEMS or PSM compliance or by way of due diligence. Looking at process safety as a moral responsibility of the corporation that extends for the life of the facility, it is clear that the majority of the requirements of the UK type of safety case model have been already met by US corporations. This paper will compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the safety case model and the SEMS model. Both of these models are performance based, with variations falling into categories of who sanctions and/or enforces the respective models. The big success in the solution to this model puzzle is determining how effective the implementation of either in the field, and adheres to a proactive approach.

Safety leadership training makes use of the approach of Accelerative Learning (A.L.). Recent research indicates that this approach of A.L., is a state-of-the-art approach. The research is essentially an understanding between brain physiology and the concept of learning. A.L., in design and delivery, addresses the learning environment, learning modalities and multiple intelligences in a manner that is participant centric-centred. Incorporating this into a safety training program seeks to adapt the learning process most conducive to humans and make it a mind and body experience achieving maximum information retention. This enhances a behavioural transition from a safety management approach to safety leadership mind-set. While incorporating the active and passive methods of engagement into the design and delivery of safety leadership programs helps to achieve up to 95% retention of information. This leads to improved results in competency immediate corelations of the concepts back to daily observed and occuring realities in the field. Results achieved by applying this concept to personnel safety leadership development indicated: – Development of the ability in understanding motivational and behavioural profiles of personnel; – Development of the ability to validate safety leadership from front-line level-personnel right up to the management teams; – Enhancement of personal leadership capability to strengthen safety into newly established teams. Also the authors have performed case studies that extend this concept to process safety as well This paper will summarize the approach for developing such high-impact safety leadership training programs for oil & gas assets. The paper will include references to particular case studies with demonstration of qualitative and quantitative results in HSE performance improvement attributed to safety leadership programs across the globe in various sectors.