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Using an in-depth case study of the Ocean Ranger Disaster, this paper builds on prior work showing that normalization of deviance promotes altered perceptions in crisis situations; this phenomenon can ultimately lead to disaster. Themes emerging from the case study extend theory in this area beyond the techno-centric to social practice and demonstrate the importance of social construction in normalization. A contribution is made to the literature on sensemaking and normalization by demonstrating the importance of collective sensemaking and organizational culture in avoiding future disasters. Implications for safety and future research are discussed.
INTRODUCTION
On Valentine's Day, 1982, a storm raged off the shores of Newfoundland, Canada. One hundred and seventy nautical miles east of St. John's, Newfoundland's capital city, waves higher than 20 feet beat against the "unsinkable" Ocean Ranger (OR) oil rig. As the storm unfolded, the rig began to tip. It later capsized, causing the entire 84-man crew to lose their lives. When the Ocean Ranger sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic on February 15, 1982, it was the largest self-propelled semi-submersible offshore drilling unit in the world.
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether workers' altered perceptions of events in a crisis situation make it seem less serious. A case study of the Ocean Ranger Oil Rig Disaster is used to explore this question. The theoretical underpinnings of normalization theory are used to explore the circumstances that result in workers' perceptions that accidents are normal.
While it is clear that organizations do not set out to create risky situations where there is a catastrophic loss of life, the history of unexpected disasters continues. Notably, it includes the sinking of the Titanic off the coast of Atlantic Canada, the Westray Mine disaster in Nova Scotia, the Cougar Helicopter crash off Newfoundland, and the British Petroleum (BP) fire off the coast of Texas. The paper explores factors in organizational culture that contribute to such disasters.
It is important to conduct this study in light of the many workers who risk their lives to work in the offshore sector as well as in other high-risk environments. This case study adds to the literature on how altered perceptions can have a negative and sometimes catastrophic impact on workers and managers...