UK HSE report: Reportable hydrocarbon releases nearly halved over three years

The UK oil and gas industry has achieved a 48% reduction in the number of reportable hydrocarbon releases over three years, the annual Health & Safety report published on 13 June by Oil & Gas UK found. The study also showed that the oil and gas sector has the third-best performance in the UK in terms of non-fatal accidents, with a better safety record than the public sector and the retail and general manufacturing sector. “This year’s Health & Safety report shows that the industry’s unwavering commitment to continuous improvement in the safety of offshore workers is bearing fruit,” Oil & Gas UK’s health and safety director Robert Paterson said.

Other findings of the report included:

• A noticeable and steady reduction in the incidence of over-three day injuries to an all-time low;

• No fatalities and a reduction in combined fatal and major injury rates, and in all types of dangerous occurrences; and

• An all-time low in Level 3 verification non-compliances that relate to performance standards of safety-critical equipment identified by an independent competent person.

“In all this progress, our industry’s safety organization, Step Change in Safety, has played a leading role, and most of the improvement is down to the focused, collaborative effort of companies, workforce representatives, trade unions and the Health and Safety Executive in Step Change,” Mr Paterson said. “However, there is no room for complacency. While the review that followed the Piper Alpha disaster provided the foundation for what is now one of the most robust offshore health and safety regimes in the world, the approaching 25th anniversary of that tragedy only serves to remind us that we must never stop at striving to make things safer. Continued engagement of all parties through Step Change in Safety will be crucial in that effort.”