Monday 9 August 2004

UKOOA Response to Provisional Offshore Safety Statistics

UKOOA ENCOURAGED BY DOWNWARD TREND IN OFFSHORE INJURIES BUT PLEDGES COMMITMENT TO FURTHER SAFETY IMPROVEMENT

The UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA), the representative organisation for oil and gas production companies, is encouraged by the overall decline in the number of injuries and dangerous occurrences on North Sea installations, as reported in the latest offshore safety statistics.  However, UKOOA says that the three fatalities that occurred last year are unacceptable and pledges to continue its drive to secure further improvements in the industry's safety performance. 

Commenting on the publication of the HSE's provisional safety statistics for the offshore oil and gas industry for the year ending 31 March 2004, UKOOA's chief executive Malcolm Webb said:

"The three fatal accidents that occurred last year are clearly of major concern to the oil and gas industry and are unacceptable.  We will continue to work with the HSE to take the necessary steps to understand why these deaths happened and to take appropriate action to prevent further loss of life.

"However, we are encouraged that both the trends for the combined fatal and major injuries and over three day injuries continue to show that overall, fewer people are being injured offshore.  Dangerous occurrences have also decreased.  I believe that these results are attributable to the considerable effort the industry is making to raise health and safety awareness and improve its performance through the Step Change in Safety initiative, which has won widespread support from management, the workforce and the trades unions.

"There is still much that can be done to improve the safety and health of our industry's workforce and over the coming months UKOOA members will be working with the HSE and others in the industry to focus on improving the management of installation integrity and the reduction of hydrocarbon releases."

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NOTE TO EDITORS

1. The UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) is the representative organisation for oil and gas companies licensed by the UK government to explore for and produce hydrocarbons offshore around the British Isles.  It has 30 members.

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