North Sea safety level at highest since 1991

Published on Tuesday 4 August 2009 22:04

SAFETY in the North Sea is at its highest level since the Health and Safety Executive began regulating the oil and gas industry 18 years ago following the Piper Alpha disaster, it is revealed today.

A report, published by the safety watchdog, shows both the combined fatal and major injury rate and the number of major oil and gas releases are at their lowest since 1991.

And no workers were killed while working offshore for the second consecutive year.

However, Judith Hackitt, the chairwoman of the Health and Safety Executive, has warned industry leaders they must not "take their eye off the ball" as the industry struggles in the face of the global economic downturn.

Only a year ago, Ms Hackitt launched a scathing attack on the industry, accusing North Sea companies of failing to take basic measures to prevent potentially catastrophic gas leaks on offshore platforms.

Commenting on the latest offshore safety statistics, she said: "The improvements in major and fatal accident rates are encouraging, but industry must not take its eye of the ball. Investment in safety must continue, despite the current economic climate."

Malcolm Webb, the chief executive of Oil & Gas UK, said the statistics showed the "immense efforts" the industry had made in improving offshore safety were returning tangible results.