The offshore industry has been warned that its safety record is not good enough following the release of the latest official accident statistics.

The UK offshore oil and gas industry has been warned about its safety record as new statistics show both increases in major injuries and unplanned hydrocarbon releases.

Figures released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that there were 50 major injuries reported in 2009 to 2010 − up 20 on the previous year and higher than the average of 42 over the previous five years.

The combined fatal and major injury rate affecting the offshore industry almost doubled to 192 per 100,000 workers in 2009 to 2010 compared with 106 in the previous year and a total of 156 in 2007.

A marked rise was also recorded over the last 12 months in the combined number of major and significant hydrocarbon releases, regarded as a potential precursor to a major incident, with a provisional total of 85 such incidents released by the accident watchdog.

There were significantly fewer the previous year – 61 − the lowest since HSE began regulating the industry, so there is great cause for concern that injury prevention is going backwards.

Better news though was that there were no workers killed during such UK activities regulated by the HSE for the third year running.

Steve Walker, head of the HSE offshore division:

“I am pleased to see no fatalities for a third consecutive year in the areas we regulate but the fact that 17 workers tragically died in other offshore related travel incidents in the year is a stark reminder that hazards are ever present offshore.

“Although the overall numbers of injury and dangerous occurrences are comparatively low, considering a workforce of almost 27,000 and the numbers of rigs and the continuous operations undertaken, this does not excuse the fact that the fatal and major injury rate has almost doubled.

“This year’s overall health and safety picture is simply not good enough. The industry has shown it can do better and it must do in future.

“I am particularly disappointed, and concerned, that major and significant hydrocarbon releases are up by more than a third on last year. This is a key indicator of how well the offshore industry is managing its major accident potential, and it really must up its game to identify and rectify the root causes of such events.”

In 2009 to 2010 there was a significant reduction in the minor over-three-day injury rate, maintaining a downward trend – 414 workers per 100,000 reported an injury, compared with 496 in the previous year.

443 dangerous occurrences were reported, 34 fewer than in 2008 to 2009. The main types of issues reported were hydrocarbon releases (42 per cent), failure of equipment offshore (23 per cent) well-related incidents (6 per cent) and failures relating to lifting operations (9 per cent).

“We will continue to take a tough line on companies who put their workers at risk, said Mr Walker.

“The challenge to improve safety will be ever greater as more offshore installations exceed their original design life. Our new inspection initiative will check safety management plans to ensure ageing is being taken into account, but the responsibility for getting safety right in the first place rests where it always has: with the duty holders.”

The Offshore Safety Statistics Bulletin is designed to show provisional headline figures before a more detailed statistical analysis is published later in the year.

It records fatalities, reportable injuries, occurrence of ill health and dangerous occurrences reported to HSE between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010 under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).

Though related to the offshore oil and gas industry, incidents occurring in marine and transport activities are not regulated by HSE. Therefore, the loss of two crew and 14 offshore workers on a helicopter flight returning from the Miller platform to Aberdeen on 1 April 2009 and the death of one worker killed in a lifting related incident on a diving support vessel when in transit, though noted by HSE will not appear in the organisation’s statistics.

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An American personal injury legal firm is warning claimants not to settle claims too quickly with BP and inadvertently sign away rights to compensation for future damages.

BP has already compensated victims of the Gulf oil spill crisis nearly $400 million dollars, with $20 billion put aside for future claims.

US firm Beasley Allen says claimants should take a hard line against BP’s settlement protocol and is also saying the compensation fund organised by BP may need to be larger to handle the growing number of compensation claims being lined up.

The Beasley Allen Law Firm, headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, warns those injured by the BP oil spill to approach claims settlements with caution.

New information has been released that reveal how BP will distribute funds to compensate people who were damaged as a result of the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Beasley now believes the $20 billion fund is grossly inadequate.

“There are still questions that need to be answered about any future and final claim protocols,” says Jere Beasley, founding shareholder of the company.

“It’s essential that those injured and damaged by the oil spill, both economically and physically, have access to funds needed immediately for emergency relief, while retaining the right to pursue future damage claims against the oil companies through the courts.”

BP has promised to fully compensate the thousands of claimants who have suffered losses and has set up an unprecedented pot of money to handle claims.

However, Beasley Allen says there are protocols for the compensation fund which will require people and businesses to waive their rights to sue BP and other companies involved in the disaster.

This could be detrimental for claimants who cannot determine at this time the full impact of the oil spill.

“To say that people who are hurting now and need help now can’t get that help without giving away their future rights, is not true justice and is just plain wrong.

“Our goal is to help bring BP and other entities responsible to justice,” Beasley says.

Beasley Allen is a major name in civil litigation in the US. The company has been involved in a number of landmark injury compensation cases.

BP compensation cases they are handling include commercial fishing businesses, retail firms, restaurants, real estate companies, property owners, and those suffering personal injuries from the disaster.

In the most recent statistics from BP’s claims team, it has revealed that it has already paid $368 million to individuals and businesses.

BP made more than $102 million in claims payments during the first 16 days of August. Payments to claimants in past months were $134 million in July, $93 million in June, and $39 million in May, making their compensation settlement package one of the largest claim payment programmes conducted in a three and a half month period.

BP is in the final stages of preparing to transfer responsibility for individual and business claims related to the oil spill to the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF), an independent fund.

The transfer of the management of compensation claims was expected to be completed on August 23 2010.

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Former miners who claim they received inadequate compensation for Vibration White Finger under a Government scheme are launching a legal challenge.

A Government compensation scheme was set up just over ten years ago to settle compensation claims but many miners now say that they did not receive the full amounts they were entitled to.

At least eight companies are expected to face a personal injury legal compensation action from around 25 former pit workers for Vibration White Finger (VWF), a serious debilitating condition caused by using vibrating machinery and power tools.

The companies are facing compensation claims, thought to be in the region of £450,000, at Leeds County Court.

It has long been felt by many former miners and the lawyers representing them that they have missed out on the full compensation due for their Vibration White Finger injuries.

Millions have been paid out to miners as a result of a Government industrial injury scheme but lawyers have long argued that many miners were allowed to settle their claim for too little, missing out on many benefits they were entitled to.

Industrial compensation specialists Mellor Hargreaves are handling the claims for the former coalminers which are expected to be landmark cases.

The planned compensation battle will centre on the original service given to miners which in some cases was alleged to be inadequate.

A number of cases relating to this issue have already been settled out of court.

If the upcoming Vibration White Finger injury claims are successful it is thought that there will be more ex-miners waiting in the wings to launch claims of their own.

Exposure to hand and arm vibration can result in a wide range of health problems known as Vibration White Finger and also Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome or HAVS.

It is estimated more than 300,000 people are suffering from Vibration White Finger in the UK.

By law employers must carry out risk assessments and identify measures to eliminate or reduce risks of Vibration White Finger.

Originally compensation payments were made to miners suffering from Vibration White Finger under the Coal Health Compensation Scheme.

The Government scheme was set up to compensate former miners for two types of injury – lung disease from breathing in coal dust and Vibration White Finger.

The UK miners industrial injury scheme has paid out £4.1 billion since it was set up for both Vibration White Finger and lung disorder injuries.

However, the ex-miners now claim injuries were under-compensated for the VWF, a condition that causes pain or numbness and inability to perform manual handling operations.

Vibration White Finger, or Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome as it is also known, includes symptoms in fingers, hands and arms caused by continual vibration pressure.

The vibration is thought to injure small nerves and blood vessels in the fingers, leading to loss of function and touch.

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Fatalities from drink related road traffic accidents have fallen in the UK to a record low.

Provisional accident statistics involving accidents reported to the police involving drinking and driving in Britain in 2009, published by the Department for Transport, show fatalities have fallen by five per cent to 380, down from 400 killed in 2008.

This is the first time drink-driving fatalities have fallen below 400 a year.

Seriously injured casualties fell by nine per cent from 1,620 (2008) to 1,480 (2009). Slight casualties resulting from drink related driving accidents fell by eight per cent from 12,990 (2008) to 11,990 (2009).

The news has been welcomed by RoSPA, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

RoSPA Head of Road Safety Kevin Clinton says: “This reduction in casualty figures is very encouraging and we are pleased that the message that driving while under the influence of alcohol is dangerous and irresponsible seems to be getting through.

“However, there is still much more work to be done. 380 people did not return home last year because of a drink driving accident. Now we are in the second half of the year, our thoughts are turning to the fact that Christmas is a key time when it comes to road safety and it is as important as ever to impress upon people that drink driving should not be an option.”

The recent statistics refer to personal injury accidents on public roads, including footways, which have become known to the police.

In all cases the deaths occurred due to road traffic injuries and death occurred less than 30 days after the accident.

A drink drive accident is also defined as being an incident on a public road in which someone is killed or injured and where one or more of the motor vehicle drivers or riders involved were found to have illegal levels of alcohol in their blood.

The reduction in drink driving deaths is partly being seen as a result of increased awareness campaigns in recent years.

However road safety campaigners, including RoSPA, are concerned that the improvements to road safety awareness will be undermined by cuts in public spending.

RoSPA is also urging the Government to lower the current drink driving limited from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Kevin Clinton says: “The drink driving campaign has been very successful in terms of reducing the acceptability of drink driving in society.

“We hope that before too long, the issue of drug driving will be brought front and centre, and that people will begin to see this selfish and dangerous practice as equally unacceptable.”

Drink driving statistics are based on data from the police and coroner departments. Casualty statistics are made up from the numbers of all road users killed or injured in drink driving accidents.

A more comprehensive analysis of drinking and driving statistics in the UK will be published on 23 September 2010 in the Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2009 document.

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A man working for a haulage firm has received a six figure personal injury compensation payout.

The man, whose name has not been released but who worked as a shunter, was helping to load pallets on to wagons.

The man was seriously injured when he was flung from a barrow truck while working at a UK haulage company and has since received £245,000 in personal injury compensation.

The injury occurred as he reversed the truck to straighten it and then move forward. But it slid and spun around, throwing him off and causing the injury. The man’s leg was trapped between one of the bars at the side of the truck and a barrier on a wall, leading to a crushing injury and the man suffered a broken tibia.

His solicitors report that he continues to suffer major, regular pain and has limited mobility in his leg.

Carol Wild of Thompsons Solicitors, the law firm which handled the compensation claim, says:

“This was a serious accident that could have been avoided if the employer had ensured that there was proper maintenance and care of the workplace, which would have been a lot cheaper long-term for the employer than having to pay substantial compensation to their injured employee.”

Les Dobbs, a senior organiser with trade union GMB who helped the injured man make his claim for compensation, also commented:

“Haulage is a dangerous industry and unfortunately our members working in it do suffer serious injuries. All too often there is insufficient or non-existent observance of health and safety systems that will prevent or reduce accidents.”

The serious injuries suffered and the scale of the compensation payout following the accident which occurred in October 2006, highlights the seriousness of accidents at work involving trucks, fork lift trucks and other types of transport and haulage.

That year alone falls in the freight by road industry caused 299 major injuries in the UK including one fatality. Over two thirds of the falls were from vehicles. Common accident at work falls in this area are falls from trailers and truck cabs.

Overall, about ten people are killed each year in forklift truck accidents at work in the UK involving different types of accidents, including being run over and loads falling from trucks. Thousands of workers are also injured due to these types of accidents.

In fact, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics highlights transport as the second biggest cause of work-related deaths, after falls from height.

Every year, around 70 people are killed in transport-related accidents at work in the UK.

Forklift trucks cause about one quarter of all serious workplace transport injuries, but other vehicles such as HGVs and ordinary cars and vans are also involved in this type of workplace injury too.

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