Contractor Operational Safety Assessment (COSA) Tool: A Game-Changer in Enhancing Contractor Safety Performance

Abstract Contractors deliver 80% of the company's work hours but contribute disproportionately to safety incidents, revealing a critical performance gap. Nearly half of the audit findings link to operational control weaknesses, demanding a new approach. The Contractor Operational Safety Assessment (COSA) addresses this through the proactive monitoring of high-risk activities and collaborative accountability. Moving beyond compliance, COSA leverages continuous assessment, data-driven insights, and shared ownership to elevate safety standards and foster a sustainable culture of excellence. The COSA framework employs a systematic evaluation methodology, assessing contractor safety performance aligned with the pioneering Safety, Security, Health and Environment Management System Verification (SSHE MSV) tool. Utilizing the Plan-Brief-Execute-Debrief (PBED) methodology, trained contractors, verified by the company's COSA process owner, conduct structured audits against four evaluation criteria (Content, Deployment, Conformance, Performance) using a standardized three-tier scoring matrix. This quantitative-qualitative approach enables (1) identification of areas of weakness, (2) objective performance benchmarking, and (3) development of targeted corrective action plans. The process culminates in collaborative workshops, transforming assessment findings into actionable roadmaps for operational control optimization. The COSA tool was initiated following the novel SSHE MSV tool, establishing a robust and scalable framework for contractor safety management with measurable improvements in safety performance. In the first phase, twenty-three contractors were selected, covering the high-risk activities, i.e., drilling, construction, and production. With a standardized assessment methodology, a consistent evaluation of safety practices and management system implementation was conducted. Following the assessment, safety operational control heat maps were developed to visualize contractor performance and identify key areas for improvement. The top three areas identified were: (1) Risk Assessment, (2) Human & Organization Performance Program, and (3) Lifting Operation & Dropped Object Prevention. Results will be disclosed to contractors to support performance benchmarking, encourage shared learning, and disseminate best practices. Ultimately, aiming to uplift overall safety performance. A cost-benefit analysis demonstrated significant resource optimization, while a hybrid quantitative-qualitative approach facilitated data-driven decision-making. An estimated 276 man-days were required annually for a traditional safety audit, with tariff, travel, and accommodation expenses approximately USD 420,000. By integrating contractor self-assessments with randomized verification audits, the COSA approach reduced annual audit-related costs by approximately 80%, achieving estimated savings of USD 300,000 while preserving the credibility and efficacy of the overall audit process