Operationalizing Standardized IOGP Start Work Checks by Frontline Workers Using a Digital Solution

Abstract The Goal Zero ambition of most organizations target no harm, no breaches and no leaks across all her operations. Ensuring this goal remains an utmost priority requires that we keep innovating and adapting new ways of working to ensure positive progress towards this goal. Digital technology has created a robust platform and is redefining how safety protocols are managed across our worksites. Understanding that errors occur, and that most of these errors result from human behaviors driven by the systems and processes is key to delivering the goal zero aspiration. This paper is aimed at providing an overview of the application of digital technology during Start Work Checks (SWC) at the worksites. The digital SWC solution was designed to narrow the existing site risk ownership and management oversight gaps experienced on the frontline as workers carry out their daily activities. This paper focuses on the development, deployment and embedment of a digital solution intended to address the unique challenge faced by frontline workers, with a significant improvement in risk ownership, real-time data analysis, full implementation of IOGP SWC requirements, whilst removing the use of paper. This tool has positively enabled frontline workers demonstrably prevent incidents and save lives through robust verification of controls prior to start of work. The intervention culture has also improved, in addition to better quality of risk reviews by the frontline folks.