Title: Safety management in the Dutch oil and gas industry: the effect on the technological regime

Authors: I.R. van de Poel, A.R. Hale, L.H.J. Goossens

Addresses: Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, P.O. Box 5015, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands. Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, P.O. Box 5015, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands. Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, P.O. Box 5015, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands

Abstract: This paper deals with the recent trend in Europe, from the formulation of detailed instructions and specifications with respect to the safety of industrial installations by governments, towards regulation on the level of safety management systems and risk analyses. The development sketched is studied with respect to the offshore oil and gas industry in the Netherlands. The government inspectorate responsible for this industry, the Staatstoezicht op de Mijnen (SodM), has, since the early 1990s, changed its approach from hardware-based inspections to inspection at the level of management systems. To assess the effects of this change in approach on industry practice the concept of ||technological regime|| is employed.

Keywords: safety management; offshore oil and gas industry; technological regimes; safety regulation and inspection; rules and procedures; technological innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTPM.2002.003151

International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 2002 Vol.2 No.4, pp.407-433

Published online: 13 Jul 2003 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article