Beyond the Barricades - New Research Demonstrates Oil & Gas Industry Has Barriers to Overcome in the Race for Improved Safety

ABERDEEN, Scotland, October 24, 2010 - Pioneering research into global oil and gas safety and competency
standards is revealing that the industry has "still not cracked safety".

In its drive to improve and align safety and competence standards in oil
and gas, OPITO International commissioned the Aberdeen Business School at
Robert Gordon University to undertake a major research study into how
internationalisation impacts on emergency response and basic safety training
requirements in the industry.

The independent study seeks to identify good practice from around the
world, highlight specific regional challenges, examine the barriers to
effective and consistent training delivery and quantify the value to
companies and the industry and how that value is being measured.

Emerging themes from the research, to be completed in November, show that
while countries and organisations are striving towards better safety, there
are still significant barriers. These include getting employees to take
responsibility for their own health and safety, the lack of effective safety
leadership within organisations, the need for better competence-based
training and common standards across the industry.

"Safety is paramount and the industry has a fundamental duty to make sure
that its people are competent and trained to the best possible standards,"
said David Doig, chief executive of OPITO International. "If we were dealing
with ignorance the solution would be simple but unfortunately we are still
dealing with culture and behaviours as well as local issues, protectionism,
legacy, history and "not invented here" syndromes.

"Our aim is to achieve buy-in from the industry globally for one set of
common standards to improve safety for every worker, no matter where they
operate in the world. We have to move beyond the barricades and make sure
that the obstacles highlighted in the research are overcome once and for all
if we are to prevent accidents and save lives."

The study underlines that employees still do not understand their
responsibilities when it comes to safety and better communication within
organisations is required to instil greater ownership of safety.

Safety leadership is cited as the biggest hurdle and respondents believe
that, until safety is driven from the top and not just from within the HSE
department, a step-change will not happen.

Improved dialogue and conversation between all the various trade bodies
and associations around the world was also cited as a way of improving
safety.

The majority of respondents believed that a global approach to safety
standards would make a positive difference. However many felt that unless
governments and organisations sign up to this in a meaningful way it would
not happen.

The research will inform OPITO's work towards its goal of rolling out
global standards for safety and competency that would ensure every worker,
anywhere in the world is trained to the same standards.

OPITO is committed to improving safety and reducing risk for people,
assets and companies in one of the most hazardous working environments.

Around 100 senior decision makers from multi-national oil companies,
independents and IOCs, along with major contractors and drilling companies
are being interviewed as part of the research.

The findings will be presented at the up-coming OPITO Safety and
Competence Conference 2010 (OSCC 2010) in Abu Dhabi on 25th November.

Those wishing to book a place at the conference, should contact Katrina
Dunbar on +44-1224-615016 or email Katrina.dunbar@bigpartnership.co.uk

Those wishing to book a place at the conference, should contact Katrina Dunbar on +44-1224-615016 or email Katrina.dunbar at bigpartnership.co.uk. Issued on behalf of OPITO International by The BIG Partnership. For more information contact Zoe Corsi on +44-1224-615014 or +44-7973983243