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Planned Inspections

OHS inspectors may conduct inspections and audits of facilities. Inspections and audits are used to monitor compliance with the legislation and ongoing implementation and compliance with safety cases, pipeline safety management plans and diving safety management systems including diving project plans.

Planned inspections focus on facilities (including pipelines). The subject of planned inspections will include both control and management of Major Accident Events and Occupational Health and Safety. There will be at least one inspection per year for each manned installation, where practicable.

During the inspections and audits, OHS inspectors will communicate with all levels of the workforce including Health and Safety Representatives (HSR). Inspections and audits may take several days and incorporate overnight stays on facilities.

The controls and SMS elements inspected will be reviewed as far as practicable in line with a range of factors:

  • Are the controls implemented? - do the controls exist as described in the safety case, Pipeline Safety Management Plan (PSMP) or Diving Safety Management System/Diving Project Plan (DSMS/DPP)? That is, are the right number and type of controls provided, etc?
  • Are the controls functional? - do the controls function as described in the safety case, PSMP or DSMS/DPP? That is, do they perform as desired by the performance standards etc?
  • Are the controls maintained? - are maintenance activities on the controls as frequent and cover the issues identified in the safety case, PSMP, DSMS/DPP? That is, do they check the functionality assigned above to the required standard, as often as described, etc?
  • Are the controls audited? - are the maintenance and inspection results checked and acted upon, if the functionality is not as expected, and what is done etc?
  • Is the workforce competent? - is competency of personnel demonstrated? Are personnel assessed for positions, tasks etc?

Each planned inspection will focus on:

  • Verification of operator commitments regarding the recommendations from previous inspections and audits and incident investigations.
  • For facilities under MoSOF - controls and/or management system elements taken from a control measure related to at least one of each of the following:
    • a major accident event (MAE)
    • an occupational health and safety hazard.
  • For facilities under the Pipelines Regulations, controls and/or management system elements from the PSMP, of which at least one has a Significant Pipeline Accident Event focus and at least one has an Occupational Health and Safety focus.
  • For operations under the Diving Regulations, controls and/or management system elements from the DSMS/DPP.

Inspections of FPSO's and FSO's will employ a checklist focused on sail away preparedness.

For more information see the Planned Inspection Policy.

Identity Card

Every OHS inspector is issued with an identity card as required by section 681 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006. A person to whom an identity card is issued must carry the identity card at all times when carrying out functions as an OHS inspector. The identity card is a white plastic card the same size as a credit card. It must display a recent photograph of the inspector and be signed by the inspector.

Feedback on Planned Inspections

NOPSA welcomes feedback on any aspect of its planned inspections or inspection process from those involved. For inspection related feedback, please use the following email address:

feedback.inspection [at] nopsa.gov.au

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