Offshore Lifeboats Not Fit For Purpose, Say North Sea Unions

Lifeboats on oil and gas installations in the North Sea are not fit for purpose, union leaders claimed yesterday in Aberdeen.

The Offshore Industry Liaison Committee (OILC) called for a new and safer way of evacuating offshore workers by boat and gave a damning verdict on the two methods currently in use.

OILC general secretary Jake Molloy said it was mere luck that had prevented more lives being lost at sea, with lifeboat rescue missions benefiting from helpful weather conditions.He warned, however, that in different circumstances the vessels might not have stood up to the task.The OILC is leading a campaign to persuade the offshore safety division of the Health and Safety Executive to launch a fundamental review of emergency evacuation provision.

Helicopters are usually the first choice for evacuations at sea, but sometimes the aircraft cannot get close enough to be of any use.

The best alternative is lifeboats, which can either be dropped from davits or left to plunge free-fall into the sea.

Mr Molloy said there were serious safety issues with both methods, hence the need for a proper appraisal of evacuation procedures.

The Davit system’s failings were exposed in the Alexander Kielland disaster in March 1980, when 123 men lost their lives when an oil platform turned over in the Norwegian North Sea Ekofisk field. Just one of four lifeboats that were launched broke free of the lowering cables.

Free-fall vessels are subject to considerable G-Force and water pressure, a fact demonstrated when an unmanned vessel was wrecked during a routine test in Norway in 2005.

Other tests in Canada have highlighted the potential for free-fall boats being swept back into the installation they are meant to escape from.

Modifications were made to some free-fall vessels in the UK North Sea in light of the Norwegian test, but the OILC insists they are still not safe.

Chris Allen, a director with offshore industry body Oil and Gas UK, said: “We are obviously aware that tests in the Norwegian sector have shown shortcomings in the performance of some free-fall lifeboats.

“The problems identified were with a particular model of free-fall lifeboat not used on any offshore installation in the UK sector. Nevertheless, actions were initiated in consultation with the HSE to demonstrate all models and types of free-fall lifeboats in the UK were fit-for-purpose.

The HSE said: “HSE is happy to discuss the OILC’s concerns and will be arranging a meeting shortly to do so.”

Meanwhile, union officials are braced for another confrontation when they hand out leaflets highlight-ing concerns about offshore safety to helicopter passengers at Aberdeen Airport today.

Alan Pottage, national organising co-ordinator for the RMT union for rail, maritime and transport workers, said yesterday he feared arrests after he and six colleagues were cautioned by police for handing out leaflets at the airport on October 5.

An airport spokesman said gateway operator BAA had the right to ask people to leave its property, if they had no reason to be there.