U.K. SPELLS OUT TIMETABLE FOR SAFETY RULES
Britain's Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has laid out a timetable for introducing new offshore safety rules.
The move comes in the wake of last year's Cullen report on what caused the Piper Alpha platform explosion and fire (OGJ, Nov. 19, 1990, p. 21). The accident killed 167 men in July 1988 on the U.K. North Sea platform operated by Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd.
The timetable is important for U.K. operators currently working on development of safety programs and equipment for 272 fixed and mobile offshore installations.
THE SCHEDULE
HSC Chairman John Cullen said a consultative document on the proposed legislative changes will be published next year. Subject to results of consultations with the oil industry and unions, proposed rules and supporting guidance will be submitted to the U.K. government in summer 1992.
If the government and Parliament agree, new rules will be in place in autumn 1992 and in force by late spring 1993.
Another 6 months will be allowed for submission of safety cases for existing installations. An absolute deadline, probably in 1995, will be set beyond which no installation will be able to operate without an approved safety case.
Cullen said there will be no hesitation among U.K. authorities to shut down an installation on which the safety case does not meet government requirements.
Tony Barrell, chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive's offshore safety division, said a number of safety cases have been received. He expects about 10 early submissions of safety cases covering all aspects of operations in the U.K. North Sea.
Cullen said key features of new rules will include:
- An effective safety management system, including arrangements for audit and review.
- Demonstration that major hazards have been identified, risks assessed, and adequate controls applied.
- Demonstration of adequate emergency provisions, including the full and safe evacuation and rescue of personnel.
- Appropriate use of quantified risk assessment to support the safety case.