Coronavirus pressures still affecting offshore Norway personnel
Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway – No offshore facilities or onshore plants on the Norwegian continental shelf are currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA).
Various companies are reporting good progress with maintenance management, however, there are issues with psycho-social conditions.
Some companies are reporting a negative trend toward sickness absence, leading to increased use of overtime. The most vulnerable personnel are those having to quarantine when entering Norway and returning to their home countries.
Line managers and others working from home are also experiencing high levels of stress.
Negative factors impacting staff, as highlighted by the companies, are increased use of overtime; job uncertainty (due to restructuring processes); unclear boundaries between work and leisure; the burdens presented by COVID-19 management groups/committees.
Positives are improved employment contracts for individual employees, and access to COVID-19 phone lines/support.
Data also suggest a positive trend in terms of maintenance, with some now doing more, with backlogs reduced. There has not been talk of large planned changes in maintenance management.
The PSA has stressed the importance of implementing turnarounds that were postponed last year.
As for safety, some companies have noted behavioral changes and strains, and that maintaining good emergency preparedness (i.e. offshore drills and courses onshore) is proving to be demanding.
05/21/2021
