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Health and Safety
Executive
Case study: Warwickshire Oil
Storage Ltd (WOSL)
Introducing a competency management system
Introduction
This case study explains how WOSL managed the introduction of a competency
management system (CMS) with the support of Environmental Resources
Management Ltd (ERM).
Who is WOSL and what does it do?
Kingsbury Oil complex, in the Midlands, is the largest inland oil storage depot in the
United Kingdom and storage operators on site include BP, Valero and WOSL (Shell and
the British Pipelines Agency also have facilities on site). Together with BP and Valero,
WOSL stores petroleum products (eg petrol, diesel and heavy oil) for distribution around
the UK and the site is classified as hazardous under the COMAH Regulations 1999.
Why did WOSL look at CMS?
Three key reasons why WOSL looked at developing a CMS were:
The General Manager of WOSL recognises the importance of competency and
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competency management in reducing accidents, which is particularly important
in the high-risk industry that he and his colleagues work. As a member of the
working group of the sector skills council for chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nuclear,
oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries (COGENT) Downstream Advisory
Council (which was formed to develop guidelines for competency management
systems for downstream and petroleum site), he is aware of the positive impact a
well thought-out and effective CMS can have in reducing incidents. This initiative
is also seen as being good for business, with any costs attached to ensuring
safety fading into insignificance against the risk of a major accident. Prevention of
a large-scale incident by spending time on improving the knowledge, skills and
abilities of WOSL staff, was considered a small price to pay.
The General Manager welcomed the HSE’s intention to increase their focus
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on ensuring competency at COMAH sites as this fitted well with plans already
underway at WOSL.
Due to organisational changes, WOSL had greater autonomy from their parent
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companies and, with this came new responsibilities, including establishing health
and safety initiatives such as developing an effective CMS.
How is the CMS being developed?
WOSL and ERM recognise that competency is important to individuals; with intrinsic
and extrinsic job feedback providing a feeling of success and ‘self efficacy’. This
feedback supports workers’ sense of being competent and their awareness of how
their actions are impacting on safe site operations. It also identifies practice gaps that
help people to perform better.