LUCKY LANDING

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may/june 2012 :: RMTnews 11 O il & Gas UK and UK trade unions have joined forces to oppose European Union proposals to centralise regulation of offshore oil and gas safety. The employers' group joined with RMT and Unite to warn that the proposed EU regulation "would, in practice, undermine the current UK regulatory regime and the high standards of offshore safety and environmental protection that this drives". Eurocrats proposed a series of regulatory steps last October, including aggressive coordination of EU members' regulatory systems. Oil & Gas UK and RMT have opposed the proposal, arguing in favour of existing UK regulation of offshore safety. "If implemented, the proposed new regulation would necessitate the rewriting and/or revocation of significant parts of the existing world-class UK sector- specific legislation," a joint statement said. The statement also criticises the proposal for not involving the industry and workforce and for creating "widespread compliance confusion and project delay". It warned that the EU text was "poorly drafted in a number of important areas and contains numerous examples of errors and ambiguity which will lead to unintended consequences". The proposal "will shift regulatory control away from member states to the oversight of the EU, with the potential for further prescriptive intervention at a later date". It also points out that “the European Commission does not have any technical competence in this area". An EC225 Euro-copter Super Puma operated by Bond Helicopters ditched in the North Sea on May 10 some 25 miles off Aberdeen while on route to the drilling rig Maersk Resilient. This aircraft type is similar to the 85N 'Miller flight' that was also operated by Bond and which tragically crashed into the sea on April 1 2009 killing all 16 on board after the gearbox suffered a catastrophic failure. RMT immediately called for the release of as much detail about the latest ditching incident to address concerns of members and offshore workers generally. There was a total of 14 personnel on-board, two crew and 12 passengers. All escaped into a life-raft and were recovered by the coast guard helicopter and the Peterhead lifeboat. The aircraft crew put out a “may-day” call reporting an indication of low oil pressure in the main gear box, before they initiated a controlled landing on the sea. RMT has approached Bond Helicopters seeking details about several other 'alleged' events in which members claim their aircraft suffered engine failures during April, March and January of this year. These alleged events were in Bond operated EC225 aircraft and clearly concerned one member who wrote to the union saying: “As we were approaching the shore the pilot advised we would have ten minutes to go and to prepare ourselves for landing. “Within two minutes the aircraft jolted, tilted left and right, pitched back and forth and lost altitude. The engine made strange noises as well as the rotors, this went on for what seemed like an age but was probably only about 30 seconds to a minute. “From my position in the aircraft I could see most people and there was shock and horror all over their faces, a repeat of the Miller incident was definitely in our thoughts!”. Since the event the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has produced a preliminary report confirming that a 360-degree circumferential crack on the bevel gear vertical shaft had been identified. This crack had resulted in the shaft ceasing to turn the oil pumps which provided the supply of oil to the main gearbox. RMT regional organiser Jake Molloy said there were concerns about this latest event for those flying regularly with Bond, those concerns compounded by reports about other incidents. “I had already raised the issue of alleged engine failures and the like with the Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) prior to the May 10 ditching, and they in turn were talking to Bond. “As a result of the ditching an 'extraordinary meeting' of the HSSG was convened and sought assurances about the safety of these aircraft and we want Bond to conduct an independent review of its operations in general. Jake provided Bond with a report setting out members’ concerns and he anticipated further meetings to discuss these matters. "These guys got really lucky, if the shaft had failed at a different point, we could have lost the rotors as was the case with the tragic Miller flight in April 2009. “They were also lucky with the weather as the sea was relatively calm, had it been a bit rougher the aircraft could have rolled immediately on hitting the water. “The pilot's did a great job getting it down and getting everybody out and we'll have to wait on the full AAIB investigation to see what can be learned from this incident," he said. EU HANDS OFF OFFSHORE SAFETY LUCKY LANDING As another Bond helicopter ditches into the North Sea, RMT calls for the grounding of Super Puma Euro-copters