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.
Last 5 posts by admin
- US Legal Firm Criticises BP Compensation Package - August 23rd, 2010
- Miners Fighting For Vibration White Finger Compensation - August 20th, 2010
- Drink Driving Deaths Falling In UK - August 16th, 2010
- Major Injury Compensation Payout For Haulage Worker - August 12th, 2010
- iPods and Mobile Phones Leading To Road Traffic Accident Injuries - August 9th, 2010
