Drilling Contractor Safety Management System

Abstract A drilling contractor exists to provide the personnel, equipment and services that the market desires. In addition to these tangable assets, the successful drilling contractor also requires a reputation for safety and operational performance. All five of these assets must be effectively managed for a drilling contractor to survive. This paper will cover the formal management system created and implemented by one offshore drilling contractor to manage safety. An overview of the Safety Management System (SMS) and its most important components are provided. Development and evolution of the system into one holistic system that meets the safety, environmental and regulatory needs of the company's worldwide fleet is discussed. Also covered will be the steps taken to ensure the workforce's knowledge of and participation in the system and the steps taken to monitor and continueously improve the system's effectiveness.