Health and Safety Report 2012: Oil and Gas UK

In terms of safety performance, the report finds:

• Despite being a major hazard industry, in terms of non-fatal accidents the sector is the third-best performer in the UK. It has a better safety record than the public sector, retail and general manufacturing with only finance/business and education performing better.
• A noticeable and steady reduction in the incidence of over-three day injuries, reaching an all time low in 2010/11 and a reduction of almost 70 per cent in the last 15 years.
• Two years into a three-year programme to reduce hydrocarbon releases (HCRs) by 50 per cent, there has already been a 40 per cent reduction in major and significant releases, giving confidence the target figure can be reached next year.
• Major and significant hydrocarbon releases in 2011/2012 are at an all time low.
• An 80 per cent improvement in Level 3 Verification Non-Compliances from Q1 2008 to Q4 2011 (These relate to performance standards of safety critical equipment identified by an independent competent person).

The report also details the considerable amount of work being done by Oil & Gas UK to continuously improve health and safety across the industry.

Ongoing projects include:

• European Commission’s (EC) proposals for new regulation of offshore oil and gas health and safety – Oil & Gas UK is actively making the case for a properly-worded Directive instead of regulation, in order to protect the existing robust legislation in the UK. Oil & Gas UK is ready to work with the EC to achieve the aim of improving offshore safety throughout the Europe, where this can be achieved without dismantling existing strong regimes.
• Increased focus on asset ageing and life extension – Oil & Gas UK is taking positive steps to ensure these are made prominent in companies’ management systems and business practices. Oil & Gas UK’s Ageing & Life Extension (ALE) Steering Group has been involved in developing technical guidance, in support of the Health and Safety Executive inspection initiative.
• Support of the industry hydrocarbon releases reduction target – The UK offshore oil and gas industry as a whole agreed a target of reducing HCRs by 50 per cent by the end of March 2013 (the baseline being the HSE 2009/10 figure). Considerable work has already been done through information sharing and learning across the industry to achieve a 40 per cent reduction so far.

Health and safety report 2012: Oil and gas UK
United Kingdom Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Association (UKOOA), July 2012, 34 pages, ISBN 1903003878

www.oilandgasuk.co.uk/publications/viewpub.cfm?frmPubID=444

(Source: )