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Mobile installations
Stationary installations
operators, before any fi nal approval can be
given to the construction, Hans Erik
Christensen states.
”Just like legislating on
moon travel”
At Esbjerg Safety Consult A/S consultancy
is given to offshore companies on implementation
of the new Offshore Safety Act. The
impression here is that the new law will have
an impact on only a few companies – namely
operators and rig owners.
Accident frequency for offshore installations.
Accidents per million working
hours.
- The new Offshore Safety Act is a little
like legislating on moon travel. The law is
directed towards a small group of operators,
and for all other companies the law has practically
no implications, is the judgement from
consultant H.C. Dahlerup Koch, Esbjerg
Safety Consult.
- The behaviour of most suppliers or subsuppliers
is to a larger extent governed by
regulations on working environment. With
respect to the new law, basically the supplier
will primarily ensure that the employees have
attended the required safety courses, H.C.
Dahlerup Koch continues.
”Mutual Recognition of Safety
Training”
Within the companies supplying courses for
safety and certifi cation, the new Offshore
Key issues of offshore safety law
The Offshore Safety Act was approved in July 2006, and was enforced by May 2007.
Full implementation is expected by early 2009. One of the main principles of the law
is the requirement to training of personnel to ensure the highest safety standards of all
oil producing nations.
- All employees on mobile or stationary oil installations must within the past 4 years
have undergone fundamental safety training within fi rst aid, helicopter transport,
maritime safety, fi re extinguishing and personnel safety.
- Offshore employees must be able to perform fi rst aid following accidents or sudden
illness. Furthermore they shall be able to operate transportable fi re extinguishing
equipment and they must have theoretical knowledge with regards to prevention and
fi ghting of fi res.
- The procedures must be known with regards to safety precautions by helicopter
transport, so that employees have a good knowledge of emergency procedures, emergency
equipment and practical survival techniques.
It is the responsibility of the operators to ensure that all employees have been trained
adequately. Also according to the Offshore Safety Act, the companies operating
offshore are obliged to ensure that the quality of the training has been evaluated by an
external and impartial auditor.
NSOAF -
North Sea Offshore
Authorities
Forum
The NSOAF is an international corporation
between authorities in oil-producing
countries surrounding the North Sea.
The work undertaken is primarily done
amongst two permanent working groups,
one related to safety, health and environment
and one related to training and
education.
The working group within safety,
health and environment concentrates on
harmonising the requirements to safety
and health on offshore installations - the
essence of the SSR statement mentioned
in the Danish Act of Offshore Safety.
The working group co-operates with
the International Association of Drilling
Contractors (IADC) within areas of mutual
interest. The IADC has published a
template for dealing with these matters of
common interest, having also provided a
template for preparation of a “HSE Case”
(statement on Health, Safety and Environment).
This template is seen as the basis
for fulfi lling the directive 92/91/EØF with
regards to a safety and health document,
so that drilling rig operators do not have
to fi ll in a new document each time a new
national zone is entered, and only need to
fi ll in a section related to special national
interests.
The following countries are represented in
the NSOAF with the institutions mentioned
accordingly.
Denmark (Danish Energy Authority)
The Faroe Islands (Jarðfeingi)
Holland (Staatstoezicht op de Mijnen)
Ireland (Health and Safety Authority)
Norway (Petroleumstilsynet)
Sweden (Sveriges Geologiske Undersøgelse)
Germany (Landesamt für Bergbau,
Energie und Geologie)
UK (Health & Safety Executive)
Offshore Center Danmark
Yearbook 2008
49