"Working together to solve health and safety
challenges"
HSE has a longstanding history of supporting science and
research to address a range of cross-sector health and safety
issues.

Building on this heritage, we provide a platform to identify and
co-fund applied research projects that are of interest to both
industry and regulatory bodies.
Contributing partners can help to shape the research activity
and get exclusive early sight of the results, allowing them to
improve their management of emerging H&S challenges in their
business, assured of alignment with HSE priorities.
How does HSE's Shared Research work?
We run a number of research projects. Each project begins with a
recognised gap in knowledge that HSE and industry stakeholders see
a need to fill, to help us understand and ultimately better manage
health and safety challenges.
We then invite regulatory, industry and other stakeholders to
discuss the idea in more detail, and put together a research
project that will help improve our collective understanding and
knowledge. The project is led by HSE experts, often making use of
the facilities provided by our Science and Research Centre in
Buxton.
Industry and other stakeholders are then invited to contribute
towards funding the research project. HSE also supports the
projects financially. Typically, we will seek several sponsoring
organisations to ensure we can undertake the best research to
answer the H&S needs we've all identified.
How to get involved
For more information, please contact us at: shared.research@hse.gov.uk
What topics do we research?
Current projects are detailed below. They are
at different stages of maturity, but there are opportunities to
co-sponsor and join all of them.
<UPDATED> Optimising Offshore Working Patterns
Over the past few years, shift
rotas have changed significantly on the UK Continental Shelf and
there is now more variation than ever in shift patterns and working
arrangements.
However, the health and safety effects of longer offshore tours
of duty have received very little attention or research. Given
current industry shift pattern trends, there is a pressing need to
address these gaps and develop an evidence base for further
industry guidance.
In October 2019, HSE held a workshop in Aberdeen to discuss the
options for shared research regarding optimising offshore working
patterns.
Following this workshop, a programme of work has been developed
that seeks to improve our understanding of the impact of different
types of offshore working patterns on fatigue and associated health
and safety performance by establishing a body of evidence relating
to shift design, intershift recovery and fatigue risk management
practices.
Funding partners for this programme of work are
currently being sought.
Download the Optimising Offshore Working Patterns shared research
technical work packages overview (PDF)
For further details, please contact Paul Grant - paul.grant@hse.gov.uk
<NEW> Remote Visual Inspection: Opportunities and
Limitations

Visual inspection of tanks, vessels and pipework is a
cornerstone of the examination process and is often the primary
means of defect detection, sizing and diagnosis. Technology now
makes replacing the direct human element of visual inspection
possible, and remote visual imaging could be used to undertake
these parts of the examination process. This is of particular
interest in the high hazard industries, where intrusive human
intervention, for example vessel entry, could be reduced.
The limitations of the technology have yet to be fully explored,
and no meaningful comparison has yet been made with the established
standards for visual inspection. Numerous variables and the impact
they may have on defect and corrosion diagnosis, and hence
integrity, have yet to be considered.
Download the Remote
Visual Inspection shared research workshop invitation (PDF)
Download
Remote Visual Inspection shared research proposal (January 2019)
(PDF)
To register your interest in attending the workshop please
contact:
Christine Daws on 0203 0281898 or email christine.daws@hse.gov.uk
<NEW> Wearable Technologies in the Workplace
There is growing evidence that wearable
devices, equipped with positioning technologies coupled with
sensors, may benefit health and safety in the workplace. The
advancement of the Internet of Things has meant that many of these
technologies are commonplace in helping improve workplace
productivity.
A programme of work has been developed which will endeavour to
validate the use of the technologies for workplace health and
safety and to help find solutions to the key issues and barriers to
effective adoption of wearables in the workplace. Further funding
partners for this programme of work are currently being sought.
Through this joint research programme sponsors will be
better placed to adopt appropriate wearables technology which can
enable:
- better monitoring of worker time spent in hazardous areas
- better exposure prediction
- better productivity
- immediate feedback on efficiency of control measures
- early detection of plant / equipment malfunction
Download the Wearables in the Workplace shared research proposal
(PDF)
Contact us for more information about this project
at shared.research@hse.gov.uk
Further work towards area classification for oil mists
(MISTS2)
Mists of high-flashpoint fluids such as hydraulic
oils, lubricating oils, diesel and heavier fuels can ignite and
produce explosions at temperatures below their flashpoints.
There is a legal requirement to consider hazardous area
classification for flammable mists. Whilst area classification for
explosive gases is well established, available guidance for
flammable mists is limited, brief and largely qualitative when it
comes to controls for such risks.
Following on from a successful joint research project on the
formation and mitigation of flammable mists [MISTS1], this current
project seeks to further develop our knowledge and understanding of
the formation and mitigation of flammable mists.
The following key questions will be addressed:
- How should diesel mist be considered?
- How does the shape of defects causing loss of containment
(cracks, holes etc.) affect the production of flammable mists?
- What is the extent of hazardous zones from flammable
mists?
- How do mist explosions compare with vapour explosions?
- evidence for effective design solutions and their impact and
value
- valuation and assurance of control and mitigation options in
reducing exposures - with a potential to reduce 'extra' back up
controls where they may not be necessary.
- innovative approaches. To explore new control technologies for:
high risks; common tasks; extra functionality and new IT
solutions.
Contact us for more information about this project
at shared.research@hse.gov.uk
Cobots
Cobots - collaborative robots - are becoming a reality in modern
workplaces.
Without the traditional robot separation measures of guarding,
fences or cages, the close proximity and collaborative nature of
human-cobot working offers new opportunities but also some risks
that must be managed. This project will address the following key
questions to enable uptake in a safe way, with due regard to health
issues too:
- What does current good practice look like?
- What improvements would be beneficial to safety standards and
guidance?
- How to implement cobots into work places without adversely
affecting health?
- How to conduct a risk assessment for activities with
collaborative robots?
Download the Cobots
shared research proposal (PDF)
Contact us for more information about this project at shared.research@hse.gov.uk
Corrosion of Bolted Flanged Joints

Corroded bolted flanged joints are widespread in offshore
operations and establishing their condition and on-going integrity
is important for safe and reliable operations.
Despite the prevalence of such joints, there is currently a lack
of evidence based guidance on corrosion allowance and discard
criteria for studs, bolts and nut assemblies. As such, many
operators have developed their own internal guidance and methods
which can vary widely.
It is important that an accurate assessment of the condition of
such assemblies can be made and that the remaining strength - and
therefore likely remaining lifespan - can be estimated to allow
better targeting of Risk Based Inspections.
Through an empirical testing programme, this project aims to
provide an evidence base to underpin integrity decisions.
Benefits are expected to be safer, more reliable, efficient
operations.
Download
the Corrosion of Bolted Flanged Joints shared research proposal
(PDF)
Contact us for more information about this project at shared.research@hse.gov.uk
Upcoming projects
We're currently considering a number of other shared research
projects in consultation with others. To find out more or to
suggest project topics, please contact us at: shared.research@hse.gov.uk
Download
the Oil Mists shared research proposal (PDF)
Contact us for more information about this project at shared.research@hse.gov.uk
Improving customer experience and safety when using
escalators

Whilst most customer journeys involving escalators happen
without incident, there are a number of fatal accidents known to
have occurred in retail premises in recent years, and many more
with less severe consequences.
Whilst there is a body of evidence published on safe and
reliable user interaction with stairs, equivalent evidence is not
available for escalators.
With a lack of evidence of user experience comes a lack of
consistency, so there is no convention on what an easy to use
escalator looks like.
Download
the Escalators Safety shared research proposal (PDF)
Contact us for more information about this project
at shared.research@hse.gov.uk
Engineered Composite Repairs
As a consequence of asset ageing, the extent and use of
engineered composite repairs has increased dramatically over recent
years. It is now not uncommon to see examples on a range of both
onshore and offshore structures, components and equipment. Such
repairs present an attractive proposition both technically and
financially. However, whilst in general the performance of such
repairs has proven to be satisfactory, there continues to be
uncertainty relating to their long-term integrity and
performance.
Contact us for more information about this project
at shared.research@hse.gov.uk
Reducing Exposure to Harmful Dust in Construction

Exposure to harmful dust remains a significant challenge in the
construction industry. While some improvements have been made,
there is still scope for improving the health of workers and the
reputation of the industry.
This project will provide further: