The offshore oil and gas sector currently employs around 29,000 full-time equivalent workers on hundreds of platforms situated around the country.
These installations operate 24/7 in continually challenging conditions, making the industry one of the most hazardous in Britain. Workers on these installations face multiple risks, including what the Health and Safety Executive calls ‘major hazard accidents’, such as that seen in the Piper Alpha tragedy in 1988 and the more recent Deepwater Horizon incident in the US.
Other risks include:
- Helicopter transport
- Maritime operations relating to support and supply ships
- Diving
- Falls from height
- Moving or falling objects
- Slips and trips
- Manual handling
- Hazardous substances
Health and Safety Statistics in Offshore Installations
Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive show that in 2019 there were no fatal injuries (however there were six deaths in the preceding 10 years).
There were also:
- 25 specified injuries
- 73 over-7-day injuries
- 218 dangerous occurrences reported
- 84 safety cases assessed
- 39 workplace health and safety concerns followed up
- 1,382 non-compliance issues raised with operators
- 22 enforcement notices issued (19 improvement notices and three prohibition notices)
If you have been injured in an offshore accident or suffered ill health as a result of your working conditions, you could be entitled to compensation.
Specialist Offshore Compensation Lawyers
The law relating to offshore accidents is highly specialised. It can involve cross border litigation, foreign applicable law and different time limits to claims arising from accidents on mainland Scotland.
We have considerable experience in this area of law and have been involved in all of the major Scottish offshore incidents - from Piper Alpha in 1988 to the most recent helicopter tragedy in August 2013.
With access to offices in Aberdeen we are ideally placed to represent injured workers and families of victims. We have recovered millions in compensation for victims of offshore accident every year.
But there is more to making a successful offshore compensation claim than simply applying the law. For example, you might be worried about jeopardising your future offshore career or, in more serious cases, you might have lost the ability to work offshore at all, with a significant impact on your earnings. All of these concerns must be taken into consideration.
Whatever the size of your claim, we can help. We specialise in negotiating the settlement of claims of all sizes – from minor to catastrophic – and we are experts in advising on the best approach to take.
If you or a loved one have been the victim of an offshore accident and you wish to make a claim or obtain more information, please contact 0800 0891 331. The call is free of charge and you are under no obligation to take matters further.
