§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many divers have lost their lives since the commencement of the United Kingdom offshore oil and gas operations in 1965; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BennFifteen diving deaths occurring during such operations up to 31st July this year have been reported to the Government. The detailed breakdown is:
1965–70 Nil 1971 3 1972 1 1973 2 1974 5 1975 (up to 31st July) 4 The figures relate to all diving operations connected with the exploration and exploitation of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf including diving from and around oil and gas installations, British registered vessels, other vessels and pipe-laying barges. They also include deaths reported within United Kingdom territorial waters and internal waters under 520W the Factories Act Regulations. Since the introduction of the Offshore Installations (Diving Operations) Regulations 1974 and the Merchant Shipping (Diving Operations) Regulations 1975, the Government are now informed of all fatal accidents that occur during our offshore oil and gas operations. Arrangements were made with the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association that its contractors and suppliers would observe the requirements of these regulations, even before they came into effect. As from February 1975, this arrangement also covered the observance of the new regulations where the work was being carried out from a ship not United Kingdom registered.
An interdepartmental working group of officials, chaired by the Health and Safety Executive, is studying the co-ordination of diving standards and the harmonisation of regulations.