§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many improvement notices the offshore safety division of the Health and Safety Executive has instigated since taking over this responsibility; and if he will list each company and installation to which such notices have been issued.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythSome 41 improvement notices have been issued by the offshore safety division of the Health and Safety Executive since taking over responsibility for offshore safety. The companies and installations are listed in the following tables:
813W
Number Date Name of company Installation/vessel 12. 6 November 1992 Emerald Field Contracting Emerald Producer 13. 11 November 1992 Shell UK Ltd. Kittiwake 14. 9 December 1992 Hamilton Oil Co. Ltd. Deep Sea Pioneer 15. 21 December 1992 Sedco Forex Drillstar 16. 21 December 1992 Sedco Forex Sedneth 701 17. 20 January 1994 Elf Enterprise Caledonia Ltd. Salitre 18. 3 March 1993 Elf Enterprise Caledonia Ltd. MSV Tharos 19. 3 March 1993 Elf Enterprise Caledonia Ltd. MSV Tharos 1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992 Nil improvement notices
§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many recommendations for prosecution under the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 the offshore safety division of the Health and Safety Executive has instigated; and if he will list the companies and installations to which such recommendations have applied.
Table 1 Year Company Installation Date of offence Date convicted 1991–92 Allseas Marine Contractors Lorelay 7 August 1990 15 May 1991 1991–92 Smedvig Ltd. NW Hutton 9 September 1990 9 March 1992 1991–92 Amoco (UK) Exploration NW Hutton 9 September 1990 9 March 1992
Table 2 Year Company Installation Date of offence Date convicted 1992–93 Atlantic Drilling Benreoch 10 December 1990 21 April 1992 1992–93 Stena Offshore Ltd. DSV Seaspread 10 June 1990 9 May 1992 1992–93 Employee DSV Seaspread DSV Seaspread 10 June 1990 8 May 1992 1992–93 Sedco Forex Drilling Services Sedco 703 31 January 1992 22 July 1992 1992–93 ETMP Services (UK) LB200 18 April 1992 26 November 1992 1992–93 BP Exploration Miller 20 June 1992 17 December 1992 1992–93 Amoco UK DSV British unsuccessful 1992–93 Stena Offshore Enterprise V
Table 3 Year Company Installation Date of offence Date convicted 1993–94 Shell UK Exploration and Production Brent Delta 5 March 1993 Awaiting court hearing 1993–94 Smedvig Ltd. West Sigma 7 January 1993 Awaiting English court hearing 1993–94 BP Exploration and Production Forties Bravo 16 March 1993 4 November 1993 1993–94 Sedco Forex Drilling Ltd. Sedco 704 24 July 1992 17 May 1993 1993–94 Cape Scaffolding Ltd. Bruce 28 December 1992 16 May 1993 1993–94 Heeremac DB102 12 March 1993 Abandoned 1993–94 Rookwater DSV Regalia 8 June 1993 24 September 1993 1993–94 Dolphin Drilling Borgny Dolphin 24 August 1993 24 February 1994 1993–94 Arco British Ltd. Ocean Odyssey 22 September 1988 24 September 1993 1993–94 Odeco Drilling (UK) Ltd. Ocean Odyssey 22 September 1988 10 August 1993 1993–94 Hamilton Oil Co. Deepsea Pioneer 28 October 1992 8 October 1993 1993–94 Santa Fe Santa Fe Magellan 20 July 1993 11 February 1994 1993–94 Odeco UK Ltd. Ocean Victory 7 November 1990 29 November 1993
§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many improvement notices, prohibition notices and pending prosecutions were outstanding when the offshore safety division of the Health and Safety Executive took over responsibility for those matters from the Department of Energy; which(a) companies and (b) installations they applied to; and how many are still outstanding.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythNo improvement notices or prohibition notices were outstanding when the Health and
814W
§ Mr. Michael ForsythSince 1 April 991, prosecutions have been instigated by the procurator fiscal in Scotland in 22 cases, following receipt of a report from the Health and Safety Executive. One of these was subsequently abandoned. One case has been prosecuted in England. Details are set out in the following tables:
Safety Executive took over responsibility for offshore safety. In England, no pending prosecutions were outstanding at that time. Decisions on prosecutions in Scotland are solely the responsibility of the procurator fiscal and the Crown Office for Scotland.
§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further changes he proposes to make to improve health and safety on offshore installations.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Health and Safety Executive is reviewing a large number of safety cases and 815W discussing with individual owners and operators of installations any improvements which may need to be made.
In addition, the Health and Safety Commission has put in hand a review of offshore health and safety legislation with the aim of modernising and streamlining provision, and replacing or revoking existing prescriptive requirements. New goal-setting regulations are being developed, in line with Lord Cullen's recommendations, to cover fire and explosion, emergency response, management and administration; and design and construction.