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Our Vision Health and safety risks in the Australian offshore petroleum industry are properly controlled. This series of messages is aimed at keeping you informed of the operations of NOPSA. Please let us know if you would like to be added to the distribution list PERSONNEL: Newton Marques has joined NOPSA as an OHS inspector. Newton has 27 years experience in the Oil and Gas industry, predominantly in the Middle-East, and has just returned from Abu-Dhabi. He has extensive experience in petroleum production operations both offshore and onshore. We also welcome Lindy Munnings, who has been appointed as a part time Finance Officer for a contract period to replace Dahlia Beitmanas whilst she is on maternity leave. Lindy is a qualified accountant with experience in both the public and private sectors. Phil Cashman is temporarily replacing Richard Browne in the role of Financial Controller. Phil is a qualified accountant and has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. INDUSTRY MATTERS: NOPSA is commencing a project to update the safety case guidelines, the current version of which was prepared prior to NOPSA’s commencement of operations. Proposals have been sought from suitable companies from NOPSA’s panel of pre-qualified consultants. The project will include consultation with a range of stakeholders, primarily through peak bodies such as APPEA, IMCA, IADC, Trades Unions and other workforce organisations. NOPSA visited the new industry induction centre in Kwinana at the invitation of Transfield Worley. The induction encourages participants to be actively involved in common workplace activities to learn about safety hazards, and aims to empower individuals to take responsibility for their own safety. NOPSA welcomes this training initiative. NOPSA met with Mark McCallum of APPEA on 31 July to discuss a range of matters, including Industry strategy Targets for safety/leading indicators 2007 APPEA Health and Safety conference Hand and finger project Safety case workshop 2007 HSR Forum and safety leadership NOPSA is investigating two gas releases on facilities on the North West Shelf. Both incidents involved wire-line operations. HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES: The first accreditations of HSR training courses by NOPSA occurred in August and September last year, since when a significant number of HSRs, as well as managers and supervisors, have attended these courses. NOPSA has now commenced its first round of reviews of the courses and their providers - four have been reviewed to date. Findings are encouraging, with training records showing very favourable feedback from attendees. STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS: NOPSA provided a presentation on safety case levies to members of the marine industry which was intended to improve industry understanding of the basis for levy assessment – particularly for mobile versus other-than-mobile facilities. Updated guidance on levy assessment has been provided on the NOPSA website. CONFERENCES: Places are still available at a presentation to be made in Melbourne on Friday, 1 September explaining NOPSA’s risk-based approach to “Occupational Health regulation in the offshore petroleum industry”. Anyone wishing to attend should contact Karin Illenberger on (03) 8866 5700 or <karin.illenberger@nopsa.gov.au> A series of workshops is being held regarding the duties of care that apply to service and contractor companies, and how these interface with the operator duties. The first such session was held in Perth on 20 July and a second session is to be held in Sale, Victoria, on Friday, 6 October. Operating and service company representatives who wish to attend the Sale presentation and have not already informed NOPSA should contact Karin Illenberger on (03) 8866 5700 or <karin.illenberger@nopsa.gov.au>. WEBSITE: Recent additions to the website include: · an update of advice to operators, clarifying the activities and facilities in NOPSA’s regulatory scope · an updated guideline on Safety Case and PSMP Levies in the Safety Levies section. INTERNATIONAL: A recent Safety Alert (no 242) from the US Minerals Management Service (MMS) notes that there have been five fatalities in Gulf of Mexico offshore operations this year. The most recent of these occurred on a pipelay vessel. NOPSA understands that early investigations of this latest incident have focused on failures in instrumentation, specifically micro-switches that failed to act to prevent movement of line pipe, which subsequently resulted in the crushing fatality. We further understand that the operator concerned is now seeking to ‘design the hazard out at source’, by removing the need for personnel to work in the location of the incident. The recent controversy over an Alaskan pipeline highlights the requirement for operators of onshore and offshore pipelines to have robust inspection, repair and maintenance strategies in place for their assets. The ongoing technical integrity of pipelines should be demonstrated in the pipeline licensee’s Pipeline Management Plan submitted to the Designated Authority. NOPSA works with the Designated Authorities in ensuring that personnel safety aspects of pipeline operations are demonstrated. The US MMS has published a Safety Alert (no 235) concerning the near capsize of the BP ‘Thunder Horse’ platform in the Gulf of Mexico last year. One initial potential problem area was the failure of cable transits, which seal watertight divisions in bulkheads. Such failures appear to have contributed to the severe list that the facility developed. NOPSA encourages operators of semi-submersibles and other floating facilities to check their own cable and pipe transits, particularly in pontoons and columns, to ensure that stability is not compromised. NATIONAL PROGRAMMES: As a joint initiative with APPEA and to ensure a consistent approach in reporting, some operators of hydrocarbon producing facilities have been requested to report uncontrolled hydrocarbon releases in a new standardised format. The request has been made in a letter signed by the Chief Executive Officers of APPEA and NOPSA. This initiative contributes to NOPSA’s national programme on facility integrity. Elements of both the Lifting Operations and Facility Integrity national programmes are now actively being included in NOPSA’s planned inspections. Prompt sheets used on these inspections are available from the NOPSA website. NOPSA notes that inspections examining lifting operations have revealed a widespread failure by operators to monitor, audit and review their processes. REGULATORY ACTIVITIES in August 2006: The following activity occurred during August. Activity and incident quantities identified here may vary as further information becomes available. Safety Case Assessment During August assessment decisions were issued for five Safety Cases. As at the end of the month 38 Safety Cases, including one PSMP are under assessment. The high number of safety case assessments in progress at the end of this month reflects the submission of 5-year safety case revisions and revisions to SMS descriptions affecting all of the facilities of a major operator. Inspections Six inspections were conducted this month. Planned inspections are now including elements from the two national programmes – lifting operations and facility integrity Incidents & Complaints During August NOPSA investigated thirteen incidents and three complaints. There were eight incidents resulting in injury to offshore personnel, two gas releases, and a marine collision. Enforcement No Improvement Notices or Prohibition Notices were issued in August. EMERGING ISSUES: A recent fire resulting in the hospitalisation of two crew members confirms NOPSA’s concerns regarding the failure to properly implement safety management systems, the impact of inexperienced personnel, and the preparedness of emergency response teams. We note that permit to work and hazard identification procedures can be used in an administrative manner that does not achieve comprehensive identification and management of risk. NOPSA is becoming concerned at the poor quality of root cause analysis, which is an obligation on operators under the legislation requiring reporting and investigation of accidents and dangerous occurrences. Past issues of this newsletter are available from the NOPSA website at: http://www.nopsa.gov.au/CEO_emails/ |
