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E043:06 7 April 2006
New offshore safety regulations
become law today
The Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations
2005 become law today. They replace the Offshore Installations (Safety Case)
Regulations 1992.
The 2005 Regulations reflect the experience and changes in the offshore oil
and gas industry since 1993. They will cut bureaucracy for industry and allow
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors to carry out more planned interventions.
Ian Whewell, acting head of HSE’s Offshore Division, said today: “The Safety
Case Regulations continue to be the foundation of a safe and sustainable
UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). The new regulations will build on the successes
of the previous version and ensure that the post-Piper Alpha safety regime
remains relevant and proportionate to the changing nature of the UK offshore
industry. The industry, including workforce representatives, has played an
invaluable role in developing the new regulations. HSE believes that they
will provide real benefits in terms of reduced bureaucracy, enabling us to
increase offshore inspection visits, and extend the role of safety representatives.
Guidance on the regulations will be published in April and I would urge duty
holders to engage with the new requirements.”
Key changes introduced by the 2005 Regulations include:
The requirement for duty holders to send an early design notification, instead
of a design safety case, to HSE when establishing a new production installation;
Duty holders are required to carry out a thorough and fundamental review
of their safety cases at least every five years, or as directed by HSE;
The present requirement to re-submit safety cases every three years has been
removed (inspectors will be checking to see that safety cases are being kept
up to date through inspection);
New duties require licensees to ensure anyone they appoint as an operator
is capable of fulfilling their legal responsibilities for safety;
Combined operations safety cases have been replaced by notifications, which
do not need HSE acceptance; and
The Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees)
Regulations have been amended to extend consultation with safety representatives
to reviewing and revising a safety case, as well as preparing one.
Notes to editors
1 The Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations 2005 SI No 205/3117
were laid before parliament on Thursday 17 November 2005 and can be viewed
on Her Majesty’s Stationary Office website at: www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20053117.htm
2 A safety case must be accepted by HSE before an offshore installation can
operate in UK waters. This requirement implemented a key recommendation of
Lord Cullen’s inquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster of July 1988.
3 Transitional arrangements will apply to all existing safety cases. Operations
Notice 69 was published on HSE’s website in November 2005 and provides guidance
for duty holders on the transitional arrangements. The notice can be found
at: www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/notices/on_69.htm
4 The Health and Safety Commission published a Consultation Document on the
proposals to replace the 1992 Regulations in June 2004.
Press enquiries
Oliver Glackin 020 7717 6016
Out of hours 020 7928 8382
Public enquiries
HSE's InfoLine
0845 3450055
Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG
HSE information and news releases can be accessed on the Internet www.hse.gov.uk/
