Translating HSE culture in the petroleum industry

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The HSE framework regulation demands a 'sound HSE culture' (§15) in the involved organizations. As HSE Culture is an abstract and loosely defined concept, this regulation leaves much room for interpretation. It is an illustrative example of how some outco mes or effects are, and probably must be, pursued by a regulation that is hard to frame in the language of concrete, measurable and auditable entities. Still, HSE Culture is important, and TRACULT is designed to study how this concept is translated and op erationalized in organizational practices in operator companies, and in their relations to contractors. As such, TRACULT aims to improve the regulation of those aspects of HSE that are hard to explicate, measure and follow up upon. TRACULTs main data is a comprehensive interview study, investigating how HSE culture is understood and made concrete in different companies. It includes a broad selection of operators and contractors, in addition to selected key informants and a series of interviews with the a uthorities. We will conduct this study along the 'path' that the concept travels, from its inception ten years ago in the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), to how it influences HSE strategies and organizational choices in different companies and their sub contractors, and we will specifically see how it informs and influences practice. In support of the interview study, TRACULT consists of an introductory literature study, a document analysis including coding of the different conceptions of the HSE Culture , two dialogue conferences with authorities and company representatives, and a study of the different safety climate assessments of the companies involved. The project draws on theory from safety research (specifically concerning safety culture,) supplem ented by organizational theory that focus on the 'travel' of concepts across boundaries, and how accountability and control is obtained between organizations and authorities.