UK offshore safety initiatives paying off

Offshore staff

LONDON – Oil & Gas UK has released its first Health and Safety Report, which details the results of initiatives to improve offshore safety on the UK continental shelf.

Among the findings:

• In terms of non-fatal accidents, the offshore sector is the third-best performer of any industry in the UK, only eclipsed by finance/business and education
• There has been a steady reduction in the incidence of over three-day injuries, reaching an all-time low in 2010/11
• Two years into a three-year program to cut offshore hydrocarbon releases by 50% by end-March 2013, there has been a 40% decrease in major and significant releases, which are at an all-time low
• An 80% improvement in Level 3 Verification Non-Compliances from 1Q 2008 to 4Q 2011 (relating to performance standards of safety critical equipment as identified by an independent competent person).

The report also details Oil & Gas UK’s work on offshore asset ageing and life extension. The Ageing & Life Extension Steering Group has been involved in developing technical guidance, in support of Britain’s Health and Safety Executive inspection initiative.

Oil & Gas UK’s Health and Safety Director Robert Paterson said: “Ongoing work around asset integrity and life extension, operational risk assessments, and aviation safety…demonstrate our intention to effectively tackle some very challenging health and safety issues. Workforce involvement in a number of key workgroups has been hugely beneficial in helping to achieve improving health and safety performance.”

7/11/2012