MPS BACK RMT ON OFFSHORE SAFETY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2011 :: RMTnews 12 Following the Mexico Oil spill, the European Commission is consulting on safety in offshore drilling industry. RMT Parliamentary group convenor John McDonnell MP recently intervened on behalf of RMT members at the Parliamentary Committee scrutinising this consultation. He attended the Parliamentary European committee and discussed the issue with Energy Minister Charles Hendy MP. John acknowledged the UK offshore industry has a different safety culture to that of the Gulf of Mexico in part due to the Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989 introduced following the Piper Alpha disaster. But John stressed that “if the government and we are to rely on the argument that our existing regulations are sufficiently robust—which is as a result of the involvement of members of the work force and safety representatives—it is critical to review them regularly”. John reminded the Minister and MPs of the recent recommendation of the Energy Select Committee which “expressed concern about the about bullying and harassment on rigs, particularly with regard to whistle blowing on safety issues”. John said in this respect it was and that what was important for the government to address the recognition of the right of health and safety representatives and that “many who work in the industry point to the Norwegian model, which is based on more of a right to representation. “In fact, there is an election on every installation of a full- time safety representative to be involved in all safety decisions. “Safety representatives are involved not only on the shop floor on the individual installations, but all the way up to the boards of the companies themselves,” he said. John pressed home the point by stressing “our trade unions want the recognition that the Norwegian regime gives to the rights of safety representatives to be replicated in this country” and “doing so would enhance our health and safety regime”. He concluded by saying he would “welcome the Minister meeting trade union representatives to discuss further some of the problems in our regime, in particular the issue of harassment and bullying raised by the Select Committee, and to review other regimes. “In that way, we can reassure ourselves, as well as the Commission, that we have a robust regime that will stand the test of time and is based on the full involvement of the work force in securing safety,” he said. The Minister agreed to arrange a meeting to discuss these issues further as soon as possible. The government has also announced the appointment of an independent panel to review the UK's oil and gas offshore regulatory regime, chaired by Geoffrey Maitland, Professor of Energy Engineering at Imperial College. The union’s parliamentary group will be seeking an early meeting with the panel. MPS BACK RMT ON OFFSHORE SAFETY RMT Parliamentary Group convenor John McDonnell MP intervenes in Parliament for safety in the offshore energy industry