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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: John Townsend joins NOPSA as Chief Information Officer. John has over 20 years experience in development of information management systems within government and the private sector. Frank Murray has joined NOPSA as an OHS inspector. Frank has some 43 years offshore experience, the vast majority being North Sea based. For the last 15 years Frank was a Principal Inspector in the UK’s HSE Offshore Division, heading up a team conducting diving inspections throughout Scotland. Frank is a highly qualified and experienced commercial and recreational diver. Amanda Campbell is working as the Executive Assistant to the Melbourne team until late October, whilst Karin Illenberger is on leave. INDUSTRY MATTERS: Safety Case Guidelines The previous newsletter mentioned that NOPSA was about to commence a project to update its safety case guidelines, to take account of the experience gained by industry and NOPSA in the development, submission, maintenance and assessment of safety cases over the 20+ months since NOPSA’s commencement of operations. This project has now started. Much of the detailed work on the project will be conducted by a consultancy company, Atkins Oil and Gas, which was selected by a process of competitive tender amongst companies already pre-qualified to provide services to NOPSA via a “panel” arrangement. NOPSA has already contacted key stakeholder peak groups in order to commence the consultative processes that will form a major component of the project. Survey of helicopter utilisation / logistics NOPSA has contracted consultants, Hart Aviation, to provide advice on the Australian offshore helicopter industry. A particular area of interest relates to availability of helicopters, (particularly for cyclone evacuation). Other aviation safety issues will also be addressed. NOPSA is keeping CASA informed of the project. Selected oil and gas companies and helicopter providers will be canvassed for their views. NOPSA will use the resulting report to inform any future work activities in this important area. Tropical Cyclones – Facility Threat Response In previous cyclone seasons operators of manned facilities have provided information to NOPSA on their responses to tropical cyclone (TC) threats. NOPSA is preparing a request to operators of all manned facilities in TC areas to continue to assist by providing information to NOPSA in a consistent manner. This will involve completing a simple facility-specific form for each of their manned facilities when faced with a TC threat. The request for assistance with the appropriate forms will be sent to applicable operators prior to the commencement of the next cyclone season. Safety Levies The Offshore Petroleum (Safety Levies) Amendment Regulations 2006 (No. 1) were made on 21/09/2006. They are administered by the Commonwealth Department of Industry Tourism and Resources (DITR). These Regulations amend the Offshore Petroleum (Safety Levies) Regulations 2004. The amendments improve the coverage of the levies for operators of mobile facilities by removing inconsistencies between the definitions of mobile facilities in the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967 and the Offshore Petroleum (Safety Levies) Regulations 2004. The amendment also introduces a new basis for calculating the Pipeline Safety Management Plan Levy based on the complexity of the pipeline rather than a 'notional length'. These regulations are a Legislative Instrument that can be viewed within the Comlaw website. If you wish to discuss the impact of these changes please contact NOPSA on info@nopsa.gov.au or phone (08) 6461 7000. HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES: As a result of its recent reviews, NOPSA has re-confirmed the accreditation of the offshore HSR training courses of IFAP, OilSafe Solutions, Unity Training and TASC. The more recently accredited course of Red Alert is not yet due for review. STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS: The NOPSA Board met in Darwin on 13-14 September. Themes for the meeting included a review of Board Procedures; Industry preparedness for Emergency Evacuations in response to cyclones; arrangements for the program of Strategic Studies for 2006-07; an Industry Leadership Strategic Study, and HSR Communications Study. The Board also met with the new NT Minister for Mines & Energy, the Hon. Chris Natt MLA. The next Board meeting is to be held on 22-23 November, in Melbourne. CONFERENCES: NOPSA inspectors attended Drillsafe WA on 6 September. The event was very well attended and continues to provide an excellent forum for the dissemination of information on drilling industry safety related issues. It had a diverse agenda, commendably addressing challenging topics e.g. integrity and maintenance of subcontractor equipment “temporarily” installed on offshore facilities. NOPSA presented a paper at the Safety Institute of Australia “Visions” Conference. A key theme of the conference was OHS in the mining and resources sector, and Ray Wells spoke about the formation of NOPSA, the offshore petroleum OHS framework and NOPSA regulatory strategies and activities. As mentioned in previous newsletters a workshop for offshore service companies is to be held in Sale, Victoria, on Friday, 6th October, repeating an event held in Perth earlier in the year. Service company representatives who wish to attend the Sale event and have not already informed NOPSA should contact Amanda Campbell on (03) 8866 5700 or amanda.campbell@nopsa.gov.au. NOPSA supports the forthcoming ‘Safe Work Australia week’ 22 – 28th October 2006. For that event NOPSA will be writing to Operators regarding the NOSHC / ASCC 2002 – 2012 ‘OHS Strategy’ document. (NOPSA encourages the offshore industry to promote best practices in OHS, and views the ASCC strategy as a useful reference to achieve this aim). NOPSA staff attended a Technical/Asset Integrity Workshop hosted by Transfield Worley Services Best Practice Network. The workshop discussed sharing industry best practice regarding asset integrity. WEBSITE: Recent additions to the website include: A new revision for Guideline GL129 has been published. This guideline discusses NOPSA’s approach to determining whether a vessel is a facility, as a result of ‘doing work on an existing pipe’ (PSLA 1967 Schedule 7, Clause 2A) and indicates the obligations for operators of such vessels. NOPSA is about to issue a short guideline, “Asbestos Management”. The main message is that NOPSA regards the National Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces [NOHSC:2018(2005)] as a sound basis for operators of facilities to meet their statutory obligations in this respect. INTERNATIONAL: NOPSA recently hosted a delegation from Qatar Petroleum. The visitors have been tasked with setting up a new HSE Regulatory function in Qatar, and are examining other regulatory regimes, to inform the establishment of their own agency. NOPSA was pleased to share its information with the visitors and to assist them in their work. REGULATORY ACTIVITIES in September 2006: The following activity occurred during September. Activity and incident quantities identified here may vary as further information becomes available. Safety Case Assessment During September assessment decisions were issued for 5 Safety Cases. As at the end of the month 39 Safety Cases, including 5 PSMP, are under assessment. Following on from their submission during August, 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 Esso Bass Strait facilities. Inspections Three inspections were conducted this month. Incidents & Complaints During September NOPSA investigated 16 incidents. There were 6 incidents resulting in injury to offshore personnel, and 1 gas release. Past issues of this newsletter are available from the NOPSA website at: http://www.nopsa.gov.au/CEO_emails/ |
