A multistage multinational triangulation approach to hazard identification in night-time offshore helicopter operations Felipe A.C. Nascimento a,n , Arnab Majumdar a , Washington Y. Ochieng b , Steve R. Jarvis c a Imperial College London, The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust Transport Risk Management Centre, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Kensington campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK b Imperial College London, Centre for Transport Studies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Kensington campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK c Cranfield University, Cranfield Centre for Aviation Human Factors, Department of Air Transport, School of Engineering, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK article info Article history: Received 21 January 2012 Received in revised form 20 June 2012 Accepted 21 June 2012 Available online 30 June 2012 Keywords: Offshore helicopter operations Oil and gas aviation Accident analysis Task analysis Grounded theory Template analysis abstract When visibility is poor offshore helicopter operations are prone to accidents. Given that a significant increase in night-time activities is predicted in the near future, this paper proposes a systemic approach to account for all the factors underlying such accidents. It presents the results of accident analysis and interviews of pilots from five different scenarios using cognitive task analysis, followed by rigorous application of Grounded Theory and Template Analysis to the narratives. The results are used to compile a comprehensive list of the factors that affect the ability of pilots to fly at night. These factors should form the basis for future data collection and safety interventions. & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Helicopter operations are vital for offshore oil and gas explora- tion and production activities though they are the biggest con- tributor to the overall risk of fatal accidents in the offshore environment [1–3]. Given the many drivers for safer helicopter operations in the oil and gas business, for example, the need to avoid loss of reputation [4], demands from workers’ unions and close public scrutiny following accidents (e.g., [5]), stakeholders in the offshore oil and gas helicopter industry have assumed a key role in the advancement of safety for the wider rotary commu- nity [6]. For example, the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP) has frequently been commended for its aviation policies and standards, based on which member companies require advanced safety programs from contracted helicopter service providers [7]. Such requirements often extrapolate safety regulations for helicopter operations in many countries, with regulatory authorities lagging the overall oil and gas industry by several years [8]. However, despite considerable investment in the improvement of safety, offshore helicopter operations at night are still a major concern to both regulators and operators. Ross and Gibb [9] analysed offshore helicopter accidents that occurred between 1990 and 2007, and concluded that the night- time accident rate was more than five times greater than that in daylight. Since their study, other accidents (e.g., [2,10–13]) and incidents (e.g., [14]) have confirmed that flying helicopters at night in the offshore environment has significant safety concerns and, therefore, requires investigations. This is expected to get worse given the expected increase in night-time offshore heli- copter activities in the near future. Therefore, this paper aims to:  Enhance understanding of the systemic problems (i.e., the hazards) related to night-time offshore helicopter flying; and  Explore in detail the most critical hazards identified. 2. Offshore helicopter operations in the near future Four important drivers underlie the expected increase in night-time operations: expansion towards polar circles, repressed demand, emergency attendance and technology developments. 2.1. Exploration towards polar circles Increasingly, the search for energy sources is moving towards the poles, presenting new challenges to helicopter operations as daylight hours are considerably shorter during several months of the year, and severe weather conditions are relatively frequent. Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ress Reliability Engineering and System Safety 0951-8320/$ - see front matter & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ress.2012.06.019 n Corresponding author. Tel.: þ44 207 594 2705; fax: þ44 207 594 6102. E-mail addresses: f.a.c.nascimento@imperial.ac.uk, facnas@bol.com.br (F.A.C. Nascimento), a.majumdar@imperial.ac.uk (A. Majumdar), w.ochieng@imperial.ac.uk (W.Y. Ochieng), s.r.jarvis@cranfield.ac.uk (S.R. Jarvis). Reliability Engineering and System Safety 108 (2012) 142–153