Risk Assessment and Stop Work Authority

Overview

Risk assessment is the foundation of safe work in every oil, gas, petrochemical and energy operation. Before any task begins, people need to understand what could go wrong, how serious it could be and which controls must be in place. Yet many incidents happen because assessments were generic, copied, carried out without the people doing the work, or not revisited when conditions changed. Stop work authority gives every worker the right and duty to stop a task when they believe it is unsafe, but it only works when people feel confident to use it and leaders respond positively.

This course provides practical skills in workplace risk assessment and the effective use of stop work authority. Participants learn the principles of hazard identification and risk evaluation, risk matrices and tolerability, and the hierarchy of control. The course covers task-based tools such as job safety analysis, point-of-work risk assessment and toolbox talks, and recognising changing conditions. It also explains stop work authority, how to stop work and restart it safely, how leaders should respond, the psychological and cultural barriers that discourage people from intervening, and how to build a culture where speaking up is expected and valued.

Objectives

• Apply hazard identification methods to workplace tasks and conditions
• Evaluate risks using risk matrices and the concept of tolerability
• Select controls using the hierarchy of control and verify their effectiveness
• Use job safety analysis, point-of-work assessments and toolbox talks
• Recognise changing conditions and reassess risks during work
• Use stop work authority correctly and restart work safely
• Build a culture where people feel confident to speak up and intervene

Who should attend

Training methodology

The course is highly practical and uses real tasks, photographs, videos and incident reports from the energy sector. Participants carry out risk assessments and job safety analyses for typical maintenance and operations tasks, practise point-of-work assessments, and review poor-quality assessments to identify weaknesses. Role plays allow participants to practise stopping work, raising concerns with supervisors and responding as leaders. Case studies show incidents where people hesitated to intervene. Group discussions explore cultural barriers in participants' own workplaces, and each day ends with a short quiz and reflection.

Programme outline

Dates and fees

Certificate

Frequently asked questions