Concerns raised over offshore HSE inspections in run up to Piper Alpha anniversary

A survey of offshore oil and gas workers has found that Health and Safety Executive inspectors are spread too thin, and not enough offshore checks are being made. The report comes two weeks before the 25th anniversary of the Piper Alpha Disaster.

The report of 5000 oil and gas workers by Oilandgaspeople.com found that 80% of oil and gas workers believe not enough inspections are taking place in the run up to the 25th anniversary.

The study also found that 86% of respondents believe the Health and Safety Executive should spend more time and resources checking the increasing number of ageing platforms in the North Sea.

The survey also found that 88% of respondents raised a safety concern in the last 12 months.

The survey also found that 75% believe the Government’s decision to restructure the Health and Safety Executive’s offshore division into its Energy Division will undermine offshore safety.

The survey found 62% were worried that the absorption of the unit into the HSE hazardous installations directorate would lead to another Piper Alpha disaster.

The oil and gas workers questioned the timing of the decision to merge the division two months before the 25th anniversary of the Piper Alpha Disaster. The setting up of the dedicated HSE offshore division was a key recommendation of Lord Cullen’s report into ways to prevent another disaster taking place.

The information comes as the new Health and Safety Energy Division is already struggling to meet its demands. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests have found that the HSE had to hire contractors to help investigate the Elgin Franklin gas leak at £630 per day per contractor for 346 days – with total costs of nearly a quarter of a million pounds.

What’s more, FOI requests found that offshore inspections have fallen by 15% in the last 12 months compared with the 12 months previously.

The survey also found that HSE oil and gas safety inspectors are in such short supply that demand for their skills has pushed up wages. They can now command some of the highest wages in the industry, with well inspectors earning £87k a year and contractors earning at least £630 a day.

They survey also found that some of the most common safety concerns put forward by offshore oil and gas workers:

• Far too much 'tick box' safety and concentration on minor items and insufficient consideration for major accident hazards.

• Reducing budgets and delaying inspections.

• Corrosion of offshore installations.

• Lack of competence in mid and lower levels of staff.

• Too many young staff with no experience.

• Short deadlines which causes engineers to make mistakes.

“Health and Safety Offshore has drastically improved since Piper Alpha, the legislation changes brought in as a result are still enforced today. The HSE Executive works very closely with Operators at the moment but their inspectors are spread too thin” said Kevin Forbes, CEO of Oilandgaspeople.com

“A key reason for concern over the number of health and safety inspections is a skills shortage for experienced HSE inspection officers. This is being seen in not only a reduction in the number of inspections taking place but also some of the highest wages in the industry, as the sector and the HSE has to compete on wages to get the best of a very limited pool of qualified workers,” he said.

Adapted from a press release by David Bizley

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/20062013/concerns_raised_over_offshore_hse_inspections_in_run_up_to_piper_alpha_anniversary/