HSE Culture as a Panacea to redefining HSE Excellence and Sustaining HSE Best practices

Abstract The paper is a follow-up in achieving HSE excellence through institutionalizing HSE. Several tools are used in achieving HSE excellence but HSE culture has been used in this paper as a forerunner to a holistic HSE practice that is sustainable. It explains the need to redefine HSE excellence after ensuring that HSE culture has been engrained in all facets of the organization to the extent that HSE activities are performed as part of normal daily routines. The emphasis in this paper is based on experience which shows that HSE is being seen in the light of occupational safety than for process safety. Varied illustrations of disasters were highlighted showing the importance of redefining HSE excellence through HSE culture. Many organizations despite their HSE Culture programs still experience sudden HSE backwardness. Barriers to positive HSE culture was described and how to develop positive HSE culture in an organization. Pro-active safety in preventing skill-based errors, mistakes and violations to achieving HSE excellence was also mentioned. Many organizations have failed to realize that moving past the traditional HSE culture to redefining HSE excellence is the only way to achieving results. Achieving institutionalized HSE performance required HSEMS that includes Active leadership, HSE risk Assessment, behavioural change program, Leading and lagging HSE Performance Indicators, empowerment and dialogue. It concludes that good HSE culture is critical to prromoting HSSEEMS implementation, conducive for risk reduction in all organization's activities and, ensures productivity. Practicing HSE excellence moved beyond HSE culture to ensure that HSE performance is a journey and not a destination.