Helicopter offshore safety in the Brazilian oil and gas industry

This project is the result of an international exchange program between the industrial engineering departments of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the Ohio State University in the human factors and cognitive science field. The goal is to analyze the Brazilian offshore aviation safety culture by mapping the system through an investigation of the most recent helicopter accident that took place in the Campos Basin, off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The research revealed several safety issues as well as how the relevant organizations are interrelated. On the surface, it would seem that there may be a lack of regulations or safety procedures for the system. In reality, one of the main problems detected was a lack of coordination and absence of information sharing as set by the regulations already in place. The big question is how to get these organizations to work cooperatively to create a better safety culture.