BP criticised over virus safety for offshore workers

Fears have been raised over the safety of oil and gas workers in Scotland after a dozen contractors were tested for Covid-19 but flown offshore before results were revealed.

One crew member was subsequently found to have contracted the potentially deadly disease.

Oil giant BP, which recently set up a coronavirus testing facility in Aberdeen, has been accused of putting staff safety at risk.

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According to reports, the firm screened around 30 workers for Covid-19 on Thursday and flew half of the team to the ETAP platform in the North Sea the next day, with results not due until Saturday afternoon.

BP has come under fire after offshore workers were flown to a North Sea platform while awaiting test results for Covid-19BP has come under fire after offshore workers were flown to a North Sea platform while awaiting test results for Covid-19
BP has come under fire after offshore workers were flown to a North Sea platform while awaiting test results for Covid-19

One worker on the flight was later found to have tested positive for coronavirus.

A team member, who spoke to reporters at Energy Voice and did not wish to be named, said: “Testing is a good thing, but BP could have been sensible and waited for 24 hours – they’ve made a massive mistake here.

“We maybe shouldn’t have got on the helicopter, but we didn’t know someone was going to fail the test.

“The current situation is pretty bad and people are scared.

“BP should have waited until everyone had passed and put everyone’s mind at ease.”

The 12 workers were isolated for 24 hours after their arrival on the platform, but were instructed to start work only hours after receiving their test results and confirmation of the positive case onboard.

The affected worker was airlifted off the platform shortly after receiving the diagnosis on Saturday.

Two other workers had refused to get on the helicopter to the ETAP platform due to personal safety concerns.

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Covid-19 infections have spread across offshore facilities in the North Sea over the past few weeks, with at least two medical evacuations to bring workers onshore after displaying coronavirus symptoms.

The latest case is evidence that the sector is “struggling” to deal with the pandemic, according to union leaders.

Jake Molloy, RMT regional organiser, said: “We need to have some kind of standard practice to give workers the assurance that everything that can be done is being done.

“The offshore industry is a unique environment unlike any other where social distancing throws up considerable difficulties – we need to take a step back and look at this again.”

A spokesman for the energy firm said: “BP can confirm a member of crew on the ETAP platform, who was not showing any symptoms, has tested positive for Covid-19.

“The individual was safely returned to shore by helicopter on Saturday.”

He said the rest of the crew on the platform had been evaluated by medics “as a precautionary measure”, and the 12 people who travelled with the individual who tested positive told to self-isolate on the installation.

He said the team had been helicoptered to the platform under a temporary “test and fly” arrangement following tests carried out onshore in Aberdeen, but BP has now moved to a “test and wait” process to ensure all test results are known prior to mobilisation.

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He added: “This is a dynamic situation and BP, like others, is learning and adapting to these unique set of circumstances.

“As we embed our testing programme and other safe passage measures, we will continue to share our learnings with government and industry to support the wider industry response, while ensuring that the clinic delivering our testing prioritises the needs of frontline health workers.”

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