2011 Update Aide Memoir for Geophysical Risk Assessors
User Manual
Excel Spreadsheet Fatality and High Potential Incident Database
INTRODUCTION
General
 The spreadsheet captures summary information on fatalities and High Potential
Incidents (HiPo’s) reported in the Geophysical industry, as well as a selection of
incidents from other E&P or industry activities that are considered relevant i.e.
could have easily happened in Geophysical operations.
 The data is kept anonymous, i.e. there is no reference to E&P company,
contractor, nor to information on victims (gender, age etc.). Detail from which
such information might be derived is modified / avoided as much as possible.
However, the year of occurrence is captured, if only to reduce the risk of
duplicate entries.
 Country information is also not recorded, as this could lead a readers’ attitude
“does not happen here.” The only exception to this is made in reports on those
animal attacks which will only take place in specific countries.
DATA SOURCES
Prime data source for the database are the OGP annual HSE performance reports
and the IAGC HSE alerts. Further information was obtained from the Step Change
Sadie database, Enform 1995-2005 data, as well as contributions from Companies,
Contractors and individuals having first-hand knowledge of incidents. While it is not
expected that all accidents from the Geophysical industry have been captured, we
are confident that those accidents reported did indeed happen.
INVITATION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION
To maintain the value of the database, it is essential IAGC receives information about
new events taking place in the industry, in particular those with high learning value.
IAGC member companies are urged to provide such information to the IAGC, i.e.
incidents with an actual fatal outcome and HiPo’s where there was potential for a
fatal outcome. This information will be treated with full confidentiality as to from
which member company it came etc., in fact we would encourage our members to
“sanitize” the information provided beforehand.
Preference is for an IAGC Alert to be provided in the standard IAGC format. This
alert will then be summarized in the database and cross referenced and the alert will
be published on the IAGC website.
To facilitate such publication, please adhere to the following naming convention for
the alerts:
Year-IAGC-HiPo/Fatality-Land/Marine/TZ-Explanatory title
It is very important that a short title be used, which clearly informs the reader of the
subject matter to be expected.
Examples:
2007-IAGC-Fatality-Land-Fire Extinguisher Training
2008-IAGC-HiPo-Marine-Hatch fell on engineers head
2010-IAGC-Total disability-Marine-Mechanic severely burned using flammable glue
106741894
Page 1 of 8
USING THE DATABASE
General
The database is captured in the form of an Excel spreadsheet, using the following
columns:
Record number, column A
Unique identifier for each event, which will not be changed when data is added and
the spreadsheet is updated. It can be used to refer a colleague easily to a particular
incident.
Year, column B
The year in which the accident took place (not the year it was reported or entered in
the database!)
Number of fatalities, column C
The actual number of fatalities in the incident or a reasonable estimate of the number
of fatalities which could have resulted from a HiPo. Permanent total disability is
counted as a fatality.
Single or Multiple fatality, column D
Single is up to three and Multiple is more than three, as per OGP Risk Assessment
Matrix severity scale.
Actual / HiPo, column E
Indicates whether this was an actual accident with real fatalities or a HiPo with only
potential fatalities.
106741894
Page 2 of 8
Description and Comments, columns F and G
Summary accident descriptions, copied from the reports received. They generally do
not contain (root) cause or in depth information. Where appropriate, the Comments
column is used to insert further information on the incident, add comments that may
be useful to the reader and/or cross reference to an IAGC Alert or other source
where more detailed information may be found on the incident.
Geophysical / Other, column H
Incident has occurred in “Geophysical” (including Topographical or Site Survey
operations) or “Other” E&P operations.
Type of operation, column I
Broadly distinguishes between Marine, Land and Transition Zone (TZ), but the
classification cannot always be made with certainty.
Type of Activity, column J
Classifies on the basis of the type of activity during which the incident took place.
The list of activities used is still under review.
Type of Accident, column K
Classifies the accident using a fixed list of 20 types of accident. Most of the accident
types are self explanatory. The category “Drowning” is used for incidents with small
craft, river crossing and accidental falls from the shore into water. Larger vessel
incidents, in which people died probably with drowning as final cause of death, are
classified as “Boat”. For people falling overboard of a large vessel, the descriptor
Man Over Board (MOB) is used as opposed to “Fall into water”. FRC and workboat
incidents in deep water offshore are also assigned to the type “Boat”.
Note that in such classifications “there are different ways to skin a cat.” Several
accidents in the database could be assigned to different types, e.g. a worker falling
off a ladder after receiving an electric shock is classified as “Electrocution,” while this
could also be classified as “Fall from Height”. Along similar lines, pedestrians struck
by vehicles etc. are classified as “Struck By” and not as “Vehicle Incident”.
Note that “Type of Accident” is not to be confused with the “Hazard” that may have
caused the accident. Several different “Hazards” may lead to the same “Type of
Incident” so the database cannot be directly used to populate hazard registers.
Type of accident, finer classification, column L
More detailed classification, allowing sub-classification under a given Type of
accident. This will allow better identification of problem areas, e.g. “Struck By” and
“Falling tree/branch”.
Keyword, columns M, N and O
Up to three keywords are chosen per incident, to facilitate a search for accident
scenarios.
Searching the Database.
Users can search the database using several tools:
a) Search and select by filter
Using the Excel filter function for any column in row 8: Click on the little arrow
shown in the box of row 8 of the column one wishes to search on. A drop
down menu will then be shown: unclick “Select All” and click on those items
one is interested in and click OK. These will then be shown and all other
items will be hidden. Several filters can be used simultaneously.
This is shown on the two screen shots below.
Re-click “Select All”, OK, after such a search to again see the full dataset.
106741894
Page 3 of 8
Filtering on “Type of accident”
Using the filter on Type of accident, Drowning, and Finer classification, River
Crossing. Note that for filters in use, there is a small dot next to their arrow in
column 8.
106741894
Page 4 of 8
b) Sort
a. To sort by a single column, the above described filter can be used.
b. To sort by several columns (e.g. “Geophysical” or “Other” and then by
“Year”) the Excel sort function needs to be used (click Data tab in top
toolbar and go to “Sort and Filter”.
c) Search by search word. On the left hand top side of the spreadsheet, a box
is provided in which one can type in words to search on. Type the search
word and click the green “Search” button. A new worksheet will be generated
which will contain all rows in which the search word was found. (Bottom of the
sheet, click on “Sheet 1” or “Sheet 2” etc.)
The below screen shot shows the result of searching for pipeline.
If your search word does not give any results, try a synonym or look through
the lists of “Keywords” for synonyms that may have been used.
You can also do a wildcard search. A ? designates one wildcard character,
e.g. p?mp will find pump. Cent?? Will find center, centre, but not century. A *
designates any number of characters. Cent* will find center, centre, century,
centimeter etc. The ? or * can be inserted anywhere in the search string.
106741894
Page 5 of 8
Pivot charts
Four generic pivot charts are provided, to allow graphical representation of the data:
a) Chart year
b) Chart all: by the 20 main Types of accident.
c) Chart Finer classification
d) Chart Activity
Chart year
Chart all: by the 20 main types of accident
106741894
Page 6 of 8
Chart Finer classification (Type of accident shown: Drowning)
Chart Activity
106741894
Page 7 of 8
These pivot charts can be tailored to the user’s requirements by left clicking on the
chart. A toolbar will then appear on the right hand side. In the “Pivot Table Field
List”, one can then click on the items one wishes to select. Multiple filters can be
used simultaneously
See the example below
Chart Finer Classification
Filters:
“Actual”
“Geophysical”
“Type of accident”: “Drowning” selected
Note: some actions in these pivot table menus cannot be undone. In such a case,
close the spreadsheet (do not save changes!) and restart.
106741894
Page 8 of 8