MP CALLS FOR NEW POWERS FOR OFFSHORE SAFETY REPS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2011 :: RMTnews 6 P arliamentary group member Labour MP Alex Cunning- ham has called on the government to provide far stronger standards for offshore industry safety representatives, including greater worker involvement, training and enforcement powers. His Early Day Motion 1129 warns that the number of major accidents and significant hydrocarbon releases has increased over the last year and points out that 80 per cent of offshore installations need to improve compliance with the very limited regulations covering offshore safety reps. The powers of offshore safety regulations are set out in the Law. The “Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989” (SI 971) have existed for over 20 years. During this time there have been only minor changes to the regulations. Ever since regulations came into being there has been ongoing debate about improving “workforce involvement” to improve the industry’s safety performance. The Health and Safety Executive commenced an inspection programme looking specifically at industry compliance with SI 971 and how effective the regulations are. Surprisingly, there had never previously been such an inspection in the 20 years of HSE being the regulator. Provisional data indicates that almost 80 per cent of installations inspected would need to improve their application of SI 971. The Health and Safety Executive has major concerns about ageing assets and the fact that major and significant releases are up to 85 from 61 the previous year. Major injuries have also increased during the last reporting year, up to 50 from 30 the previous year. RMT offshore organiser Jake Molloy welcomed the call for the adoption of best practice in safety standards and in particular the adoption of the Norwegian standards applicable to safety reps. “This would result in significant improvement such as addressing the woeful lack of training provided to reps which is currently only five days. “Importantly Norwegian standards also allow for reps to undertake not only regular inspections but also the right to issue improvement notices. “Safety committees and Reps holding these powers would be a significant deterrent to bad practice,” he said. RMT has submitted a written note to the current parliamentary inquiry into the Implications of the Deepwater Horizon incident. Ask your MP to sign EDM 1129. MP CALLS FOR NEW POWERS FOR OFFSHORE SAFETY REPS EARLY DAY MOTION 1129 SAFETY IN THE UK OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY That this House applauds the work undertaken by offshore oil and gas workers in securing energy for UK homes and industry; believes there should be the best possible safety regime for those working in this dangerous and profitable sector; is deeply concerned that in the last reporting year there has been a 39 per cent increase in major and significant hydrocarbon releases and a 67 per cent increase in major injuries; is further concerned that the provisional data from the first ever Health and Safety Executive inspection of its kind has found almost 80 per cent offshore installations inspected need to improve compliance with the Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989; is alarmed that the industry's official Workforce Involvement Group has found that less than 30 per cent of workers feel that they have had involvement in the safety case for offshore installations; notes that in response to the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico, EU Commissioners are calling for adoption of best practice of safety standards in Europe; and therefore calls on the Government to consider adopting Norwegian standards which provide far stronger standards for safety representatives, including greater worker involvement, training and enforcement powers. Alex Cunningham MP for Stockton