Regulating the intangible. Searching for safety culture in the Norwegian petroleum industry

The study shows that introducing the concept of safety culture into regulation can have positive effects both within the regulated companies and within the regulator's own organization. While certainly not being suited for a “command and control” approach to regulation, requirements to a “sound HSE culture” serves as an important policy statement in Norwegian regulations. It influences the whole institutional field to explore new approaches to safety. Introducing the concept of safety (or HSE) culture into the regulatory vocabulary has served as a sensitizing concept for both the regulator and the industry, thereby increasing both parties' ability to address informal and systemic aspects of safety.