§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment in what circumstances dispensations from health and safety regulations were issued by his Department to offshore oil companies; how many such dispensations were issued for each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ForthDirections are issued by the Health and Safety Executive's offshore safety division under offshore safety legislation which exempt installations from specific statutory requirements for limited periods. Each application is carefully considered and only granted subject to equivalent or higher alternative safety arrangements being in place.
Information on the numbers of directions issued for each of the last 10 years can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has about the number of accidents involving(a) direct employees and (b) contractors' employees in the offshore oil industry for each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ForthThe numbers of accidents causing death or serious injury on or near to offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf for the calendar years from 1981 to 1990 are as follows:
267W
Fatalities Serious Accidents (injuries to persons) 1981 6 59 1982 14 39 1983 10 47 268W
Fatalities Serious Accidents (injuries to persons) 1984 13 59 1985 8 105 1986 3 101 1987 6 59 1988 1173 285 1989 3 85 1990 313 87
1167 relate to Piper Alpha. 2Include 11 of the Piper Alpha survivors. 3Includes six relating to Brent Spar helicopter accident. A breakdown of accidents involving direct employees and contractors can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.