Would You or Wouldn’t You? – That is the Question

During a recent Incident Investigation training course with a mixed group of oil and gas professionals from operations, engineering, process safety, health and safety, and emergency response, we ran an exercise to build a cause-and-effect chart. To set the scene, we played an animated incident on screen (recreated from a real incident)

Two imitation Emergency Stop buttons were placed in the room. The instructions were simple: if anyone wanted to ‘prevent’ the incident from escalating, they could run up and hit one of the buttons. At that point, I would stop the video and stop the incident from escalating.

The incident unfolded slowly. A highly flammable liquid began leaking from a corroded pipe, the leak worsened, the site fire team attended, yet the plant continued operating. As the situation grew visibly critical, the production plant was kept operational.

Approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes after the initial leak was detected the unit exploded.

Incident Outcome: 19 personnel injured, 15,000 local residents treated in hospital, and a three-month plant shutdown.

Neither of the two Emergency Stop buttons in the room were pressed. When I asked why nobody had pressed the button, one response stood out: “We would not do that here.”

WOW!.

🔴 Why do people hesitate to hit the emergency shutdown button – even when the risks are clear?

It’s rarely about the button itself. It’s about fear, culture, and confidence.

👉 Fear of being blamed. 

👉 Pressure to keep production running. 

👉 Uncertainty about “how bad is bad enough.”

The truth is: the E-stop is only as effective as the culture behind it.

In an emergency, every second counts. The emergency stop button exists for one purpose only- to prevent harm, protect people, and stop equipment before the situation escalates. Failing to act quickly can turn a minor issue into a serious incident with lasting consequences. 

Pressing that button isn’t about disrupting operations; it’s about safeguarding lives and ensuring a safer, more reliable workplace.

Would you or your team press the button?

How do you ensure your team are confident to press the button?

Maybe it’s time to ask your site personnel the same question

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