Thompsons Solicitors partner in Aberdeen Chris Gordon has welcomed a health and safety clampdown on the North Sea’s ageing oil platforms.
Mr Gordon who is based in Thompsons offices in King St Aberdeen said: “The North Sea is a dangerous place to work at the best of times without workers having to worry about the effectiveness of sprinklers and other safety measures.
“It is reassuring to know that the Health and Safety Executive recognise the problem and are clamping down on oil firms who fail to maintain their safety equipment.”
Mr Gordon was speaking after Talisman Energy UK was ordered to improve life-saving fire fighting equipment on a North Sea Platform.
The company was served with an improvement notice for its Fulmar Platform 200 miles east of Dundee after H&SE inspectors found parts of the pipework in the sprinkler system corroded and blocked while other parts were leaking.
The H&SE say that more than half the platforms will soon exceed their original design life and that raises concerns for the safety of the 28,000 offshore workers who are dependent on the aging rigs systems and structures being in good working order.
HSE inspectors have been ordering oil firms to repair or upgrade safety equipment since the clampdown began in August.
Penalties have ranged from improvement notices through to prosecution.
Talisman say their workers are not at danger and upgrade work on the piping of the sprinkler system is ongoing.
The HSE has also taken action against Canadian National Resources following a gas leak at the Ninians Central platform 100 miles off Shetland.
Last week Schlumberger Oilfield UK was fined £300,000 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court when it admitted breaching health and safety by placing 14 workers at risk of exposure to radiation by leaving radioactive material lying on the drill floor for four hours.
If you or a member of your family’s has been injured in an offshore accident call Thompsons accident compensation lawyers on 0800 0891 331 or text CLAIM to 78866 for no win no fee advice from our lawyers.
