Perceptions of safety and offshore helicopter travel

Purpose - UK oil and gas producers through unilateral action and consensus have been ultimately responsible for many key safety improvements in global helicopter services. With production assets no longer concentrated in the hands of a few major operators, the question is whether this leadership role can be assured in the future. This paper aims to summarise doctoral research that examined the economics of safety in the offshore helicopter industry. Design/methodology/approach - The offshore helicopter industry has particular characteristics, including: greater levels of safety training and choice is severely limited. A carefully structured questionnaire was presented to a sample of offshore helicopter passengers, and the responses analysed in depth. Findings - Shifts in perceptions of safety risk are predictable, and potentially measurable, and translate into demands for action based on a mechanism of individual choice. It is then the cumulative effects of any shift in individual choices that determine the scale and scope of organisational response required by the employer and/or its agents. Research limitations/implications - This research data is only sufficient to predict the manner in which perceptions of safety impact on the sustainability of offshore helicopter travel. Originality/value - The fundamental characteristics and dynamics of offshore helicopter travel still have the potential to result in some significant instability amongst the offshore workforce, and within the industry. There is strong evidence that oil and gas producers need to be prepared to take a leadership role. As the demands for consensus increase, this research can be developed into a useful analysis and safety management aid.