HSE present findings from offshore inspection programme - 3 April 2007

The key findings of a major offshore safety inspection programme have been presented to the oil industry. The programme was instigated following HSE concerns about injury statistics from deck and drilling operations in the North Sea.

Over the last 18 months Inspectors from the HSE’s Offshore Division have made 74 inspections of offshore installations focussed on the management of lifting operations, which have contributed significantly to occupational accidents in the offshore industry.

At an open meeting in Dyce, Aberdeen, HSE informed the industry audience that although the inspections showed that some offshore installations were achieving reasonable standards in lifting safety, there were still too many instances where conditions and practices required improvement.

Dave Forsyth, HSE’s Programme Manager, said:

“I was surprised that our inspections found a general failure by offshore operators to carry out independent audits of their management of lifting operations. Independent audits are a fundamental requirement for effective safety management and corporate governance. Over the coming 12 months a key aspect of HSE’s Offshore Division’s work will be inspection of the industry’s effectiveness in auditing. The industry should be taking action on this now”.

During the programme HSE served nine enforcement notices and made 173 written requests for action. HSE also advised that lifting and mechanical handling should remain key issues for the offshore industry, not only because the number of lifting incidents were rising and the number of experienced staff were dropping, but that there was a clear read-across to major hazard management.

The programme’s impact upon the injury statistics are being assessed and will be made available with the final report in May via the offshore oil and gas section of the HSE’s website, www.hse.gov.uk

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