The effect of supervision: what impact does Havtil have on contractors?

For a number of years, Havtil has worked to better understand which supervisory activities are most effective. The aim is to improve the quality of our activities and raise awareness of the approaches that yield the best returns.

In 2024, we looked specifically at how, and to what extent, Havtil’s follow-up affects contractors’ work on safety and the working environment.

Report: Havindustritilsynets oppfølging av entreprenører i petroleumssektoren (in Norwegian only)

Important role

The contractors consist of both large and small companies that supply goods, services and personnel to the oil and gas industry – and have both responsibility for, and a significant role in, safety.

The now-completed project shows that some of the companies have good knowledge and experience of Havtil. At the same time, many of the contractors are scarcely aware of Havtil’s social remit and how Havtil works.

Among the companies with experience of Havtil’s supervision, activities such as audits, investigations and incident follow-up are highlighted as very important for safety and working-environment work. However, very few of the contractors have direct experience of such supervision.

The findings in the report show that Havtil nevertheless has an impact on a significant proportion of the contractors, including those without experience of supervision. The clearest effect occurs via the operating companies. In total, 35% of the companies that participated in the survey report that they have taken action after operators or other customers have issued guidelines or requirements as a result of Havtil's supervision.

Impact of operators

The impact of the operating companies on the contractors is highlighted by many as positive. The contractors who have been involved in supervision together with an operating company talk of beneficial experiences and cooperation.

Some of the smaller contractors are also very satisfied with the operators’ work and expertise in safety and the working environment in the industry. However, some find themselves squeezed between the requirements of the operating company and the requirements for a safe working environment for their own employees.

These contractors express a desire for closer follow-up from Havtil focused on the requirements that the operators impose on them. 

Publication of reports

Havtil also affects contractors through the publication of audit reports. Many of the contractors read and make use of reports from audits of other companies in their improvement work, highlighting this as an important source of learning.

Nearly a third of them report that they have taken concrete measures as a result of knowledge they have acquired through audit reports.

In other words, Havtil produces ripple effects across the contractor segment, even on those who have not had direct contact with Havtil through audits.

Contractor seminar

The report also looks at the extent to which the contractors are aware of and make use of Havtil’s other instruments and activities. For example, we see that few of them are familiar with and utilise activities such as the contractor seminar and Havtil’s main theme in their improvement work. All the same, those who have made use of the main theme consider that this has been of great importance to their company’s work on safety and the working environment.

A number of specific suggestions also emerge on how to help improve take-up of activities such as the contractor seminar, with, for example, more communication about the event aimed at the target group.

Important driving force

The companies say that they have great trust in Havtil, and that Havtil is an important driving force in protecting the industry’s good working-environment and safety levels. The fact that many of the companies have little awareness of Havtil may be problematic when it comes to outreach targeted at them.

However, those who have been in contact with Havtil are very satisfied with the dialogue and Havtil's expertise. Many also stress that Havtil makes an important contribution to the industry by virtue of its presence.

The project, conducted by the Ideas2evidence consultancy for Havtil, has provided useful learning for our follow-up of the contractors in the future and the effects that our supervision has.