______________________________________________

Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford

Research into psychosocial factors, stress and health

in the UK oil and gas industry

______________________________________________

Background

The Oxford Stress Research group carried out research into psychosocial factors, stress and health the UK oil and gas industry during the decade 1994-2004, with major funding from the Offshore Safety Division of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The main focus of published work is on the offshore environment, although survey data were also collected at onshore oil and gas installations. Topics studied include the scheduling of day/night shift rotation; work/leave patterns; the physical and psychosocial environment and its impact on health, sleep patterns, job security and job satisfaction; the role of health behaviours, smoking, and lifestyle factors; and analyses of offshore accident and injury databases, and sickbay consultation records. Similarities and differences between the physical and psychosocial environments onshore and offshore were also examined.

Current work (2007-9) includes a review of working time arrangements on North Sea installations, and the impact of working time on health and safety outcomes. 

The contributions of the research assistants involved in successive stages of the work are gratefully acknowledged: Tiffani Razavi, Melanie Clark, Esther Payne-Cook, Sarah Swash, Jillian Byron, Debbie Dimmock, Susan Carnell, Elly Farmer, and Lizzie Burley.

Consultancy work in this area included preparation of a report (bass straits report) commissioned by Clayton Utz, Melbourne, in connection with an industrial commission hearing concerned with work/leave schedules of offshore personnel. 

Oxford University offshore research:

 publications

HSE websites

HSE home page

Industry association websites