As part of a notable cross-sector collaboration within the energy industry, Step Change in Safety brought together member organisations Spirit Energy, Wood plc and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for two Leadership Engagement Visits designed to strengthen collaboration, support workforce engagement and enhance safety learning across high-hazard operations.
Hosted by Spirit Energy, the visits brought leaders, safety specialists and frontline teams together at the Spirit-operated CPC offshore installation in the Irish Sea and at Spirit’s Barrow Gas Terminal. Both visits provided opportunities for open, constructive discussions on major accident hazards, task planning, permit complexity, operating integrity and day-to-day risk management.
Observed strengths included clear communication of major accident hazards, professional workforce engagement, effective induction practices and constructive dialogue with safety representatives. Positive behaviours were recognised, alongside suggestions for improvement - reinforcing the shared industry commitment to learning that is honest, balanced and focused on strengthening worksite safety.
• Peter Hepburn, Operations Director of Spirit Energy & SCiS Leadership Team, launches the updated Step Change in Safety Leadership Engagement Visit Guidance (previously ‘Boots on For Safety’), at the OEUK HSE Conference in Aberdeen.
These visits also allowed Step Change in Safety to trial and refine its updated Leadership Engagement Visit Guidance (previously ‘Boots on For Safety’), which launched last week at the OEUK HSE Conference in Aberdeen. The revised guidance provides leaders with a practical, structured approach to engaging with teams during site visits, offering meaningful feedback and supporting safer operations across the energy industry.
The updated guidance includes a foreword from Samantha Peace, Head of Energy Division at the Health & Safety Executive, who highlights the critical role of visible, consistent and courageous leadership in preventing major incidents.
Peter Hepburn, Operations Director, Spirit Energy
Part of a Three-Year Industry Campaign
The Leadership Engagement Visits form part of Step Change in Safety’s three-year campaign encouraging leaders across the energy sector to increase their presence at worksites and strengthen engagement with the workforce. This work directly supports findings from the organisation’s Process Safety Workforce Survey, which reinforced the importance of leadership visibility offshore and onshore.
A Shared Commitment to Safer Worksites
The collaboration between operators, contractors and public-sector organisations demonstrates the impact of shared learning in improving safety performance and strengthening trust across industry. Learning from the visits is being used by participating organisations internally and will continue to inform future site engagements.
Leadership Engagement Visit - Spirit-operated CPC Offshore Installation
Craig Wiggins, CEO of Step Change in Safety says: “After many years in industry, I’ve seen the difference that open, honest conversations at the worksite can make. These visits show the value of leaders and frontline teams engaging directly - recognising what’s being done well and exploring where improvements can be made. That’s the kind of shared learning that strengthens safety across our industry.”
Peter Hepburn, Operations Director, Spirit Energy / SCiS Leadership Team says: “We were pleased to hear observations highlighting the many positive behaviours our teams demonstrate every day, along with thoughtful suggestions for further improvement. Bringing together operators, contractors and regulators in an open learning environment continues to strengthen trust, accelerate improvement and reinforce our shared commitment to ensuring everyone goes home safe. Learning is most powerful when it is honest, respectful and focused on continuous improvement, and this programme embodies exactly that.”
Further Leadership Engagement Visits are planned throughout 2026, supporting continued collaboration, engagement and shared learning across Step Change in Safety’s membership.
The updated Leadership Engagement Visit Guidance is publicly available and free to download at https://www.stepchangeinsafety.com/resources/leadership-engagement-visits/
For further information, or to arrange collaborative site visits, please contact: info@stepchangeinsafety.com