Unite response to CAA review - Offshore Helicopter Safety
Unite Scottish Secretary Pat Rafferty said:
“Sparked by the latest Super Puma tragedy in August, where four offshore workers from the Borgsten Dolphin platform lost their lives, Unite has been very clear that we now need a forensic analysis of UK offshore health and safety that will help deliver essential reform.
The Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) own investigations will need to provide substance and if it is serious about learning from the Norwegian model of offshore health and safety, the CAA would do well to support our earlier calls for the UK to replicate the widespread legislative changes made by the Norwegians to make their industry safer in 2000.
“However, it’s getting more and more difficult to take the industry seriously over its approach to safety reform. Already Super Puma L2 types are starting to return to commercial service in the North Sea and they do so without any changes to capacity, configuration or changes to life-saving contingency plans – this is unacceptable.
“If Oil Gas UK and key stakeholders, including the CAA, are serious about reforming offshore health and safety then they must meaningfully engage with the industry’s workers - it’s most important resource.
“This is the only way the industry can begin to restore the shattered confidence of the workforce and help ensure that in future all workers get back home safe from the North Sea.”
