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6 April 2006 - Reminder of New Offshore
Regulations Enforceable Today
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Key changes to the Offshore Installations (Safety Case)
Regulations 1992, replaced by the the Offshore Installations (Safety Case)
Regulations 2005, have become enforceable as of today, Wednesday 6 April 2006.
The new Regulations aim to allow Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) Inspectors to carry out more planned interventions and to cut bureaucracy
for industry.
Commenting on the new Regulations, Ian Whewell, acting head of
HSE's Offshore Division, said:
"The Safety Case Regulations continue to be the foundation of
a safe and sustainable UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).
"The new regulations will build on the successes of the
previous version and ensure that the post-Piper Alpha safety regime remains
relevant and proportionate to the changing nature of the UK offshore industry.
"The industry, including workforce representatives, has
played an invaluable role in developing the new regulations.
"HSE believes that they will provide real benefits in terms
of reduced bureaucracy, enabling us to increase offshore inspection visits, and
extend the role of safety representatives.
"Guidance on the regulations will be published in April and I
would urge duty holders to engage with the new requirements."
Some of the key changes introduced by the 2005 Regulations are
as follows:
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The requirement for duty holders to send an early design
notification, instead of a design safety case, to HSE when establishing a new
production installation.
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Duty holders are required to carry out a thorough and
fundamental review of their safety cases at least every five years, or as
directed by HSE.
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The present requirement to re-submit safety cases every three
years has been removed (inspectors will be checking to see that safety cases are
being kept up to date through inspection).
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New duties require licensees to ensure anyone they appoint as an
operator is capable of fulfilling their legal responsibilities for safety.
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Combined operations safety cases have been replaced by
notifications, which do not need HSE acceptance.
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The Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety
Committees) Regulations have been amended to extend consultation with safety
representatives to reviewing and revising a safety case, as well as preparing
one.
The Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations 2005 can be
accessed from Her Majesty's Stationary Office (HMSO), by clicking the following:
The Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations 2005
Guidance and the Operations Notice 69, published on the HSE's
Website in November 2005 for duty holders on the transitional arrangements, can
be accessed by clicking the following:
HSE - OFFSHORE: Operations Notice 69 - Revising an existing safety case to
comply with the 2005 Safety Case Regulations
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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