Industry-Endorsed Process Safety Improvement Plan (PSIP) Guidance launched

We have published a new Process Safety Improvement Plan (PSIP) 8 Step Guidance, designed to help organisations strengthen process safety performance and deliver structured, risk-based improvement plans across the UKCS and other high-hazard sectors. The documentation has been endorsed by Offshore Energies UK, Health and Safety Executive, International Association of Drilling Contractors, Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning and British Offshore Rig Owners Association, demonstrating broad industry support.

The release comes at a time when the energy sector faces mounting pressures, including ageing assets, resource challenges, organisational change, onboarding of new personnel (“green hats”), and the need for deeper collaboration across operators and contractors. These challenges make structured, risk-based improvement planning more critical than ever to prevent incidents and injuries across the energy industry, the core mission of Step Change in Safety.

The guidance was developed by our Process Safety Leadership Workgroup, co-chaired by Laura Forté of bp and Bruce Webb of Scapa Energy. In a joint statement on the importance of the new PSIP guidance, they comment:

“Built on the shared experience of North Sea operators, this guidance is globally applicable and designed to support both the development of first-time PSIPs and the ongoing improvement of existing arrangements.”

The guidance follows the Process Safety Leadership Programme (PSLP) inspection findings published in February 2025 by the Health and Safety Executive, which identified recurring industry challenges including cumulative risk management, audit and assurance effectiveness, leadership competence, contractor oversight, organisational change, and structured PSIP development.

The PSIP guidance provides a practical framework to address these themes, helping companies develop prioritised, measurable, and leadership-owned improvement plans.

The 8-step framework covers:

• Leadership and accountability
• Stakeholder engagement
• Risk-based inputs
• Tactical and strategic balance
• Measurable outcomes
• Integration and performance alignment
• Detailed action planning
• Review and continuous improvement

Craig Wiggins, CEO of Step Change in Safety, says:

"This guidance gives organisations a clear, practical approach to strengthening process safety and embedding leadership accountability at every level. Designed for easy integration into leadership calendars, MAH management cycles, audit programmes, and business planning, it helps companies take structured, measurable action to improve safety performance and protect their people and operations."

The PSIP guidance also complements a series of workshops hosted by our Process Safety Leadership Workgroup on key Health and Safety Executive themes, including risk management, contractor oversight, leadership competence, and organisational change, enabling shared learning across operators and contractors.

• The guidance is publicly available at: https://www.stepchangeinsafety.com/resources/process-safety-improvement-plan-8-steps-guidance/
• For further information or to attend future PSL shared-learning events, contact: info@stepchangeinsafety.com