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Piper Alpha: 25 Years On — Feature Feature Piper Alpha: 25 years on Iris Cepero Many people vividly remember the The 106 recommendations of Lord UK waters to submit a safety case. summer evening in the North Sea Cullen’s inquiry into the disaster Safety Management marks the 25th when Piper Alpha, an oil platform significantly altered the regulatory anniversary of the Piper Alpha tragedy 120 miles northeast of Aberdeen, regime for the offshore oil and gas with a special edition that brings exploded, killing 167 men. It is industry in Britain. The inquiry found together testimonies and analysis the biggest work-related disaster that the rig’s operator, Occidental, had from those who recall the pain and Scotland, the United Kingdom, the inadequate maintenance and safety confusion of that fateful day and North Sea and the oil industry has procedures, but no criminal charges the consequences and significance seen in modern times. Everything were ever brought against it. The of the explosion for the oil industry, changed on the night of 6 July 1988 Department of Energy, which at the particularly its offshore operations. for the families of the victims, for time of the disaster was responsible for We scrutinise the effectiveness of the dozens that were lucky – no regulating offshore safety, shared the the goal-setting approach to safety other word but luck can express it blame. HSE was asked to oversee the management that the Cullen report more accurately – to survive, and implementation of 57 of Lord Cullen’s championed. We look at how the for the people onshore who can recommendations, including the practice has evolved and what still still hear, so many years later, the most important one: new regulation needs to be done to reduce to almost nil buzzing of the rescue helicopters requiring operators and owners of the chances of this kind – or any other over their heads. every fixed and mobile installation in similar – of incident happening again. July 2013 Safety Management 15 Feature that operators working in the offshore “it’s the way we do things round here”. Judith industry were legally required to take What I am absolutely sure of is that steps to continuously improve how they effective and committed leadership Hackitt managed offshore safety. The new EU from the very top of the organisation is directive on the safety of offshore oil crucial to achieving that safety culture. and gas operations will require that this Strong leadership has got to be key principle is adopted across Europe. placed at the front and centre – The extensive work done to successfully because without leadership other negotiate for a directive, rather than essential elements of the system a direct acting regulation, will help to – employee engagement, increased preserve this fundamental concept. competence – simply do not happen. Goal-based regimes and strong Everyone needs to recognise their leadership responsibilities and then play their Goal based regimes place the onus respective parts – regulators, on industry to ensure and demonstrate operators, employers, employees Chair to regulators that the risks of any and many more. Health and Safety Executive incident relating to oil and gas Strong leadership is also required to operations are reduced to ‘as low ensure that the resulting good practice as reasonably practicable’. is embedded within the industry But ensuring we have a safe Committing afresh to offshore industry is about much longer-term, no matter where the a global safety culture more than the regulatory framework. work is carried out. Strong leadership There are several other factors. will also ensure that organisations Being a chemical engineer, it is not For example, HSE believes that evolve to meet their new challenges often I find myself quoting Charles safety representatives are a real force and strive to continuously improve. Darwin but these words from the for improving health and safety in all If we are successful, our regulatory great naturalist illustrate an important workplaces, not least of course in the regime will remain robust, safety point: “It is not the strongest of offshore industry. standards offshore will continually the species that survives, nor the improve and we will create a culture most intelligent, but the one most where contractors and workers realise responsive to change.” the benefits of effective co-operation. Learning from the past is vital. Reading reports from past Strong leaders will also look beyond That’s why marking the 25th disasters, I am left with the their own company or sector to learn anniversary of the Piper Alpha feeling that in some respects disaster is important – using this as lessons, to pick up and share good there are no new accidents. an opportunity to reflect on how we practice with others. Rather there are old accidents need to get better at embedding that repeated by new people Committing to global safety culture learning from the past. But it is equally The principles of learning, reflecting important to recognise that being and adapting are as true for the trapped by the past and locked into a regulator as they are for the industry. single way of doing things is folly. Workforce involvement is just one To remain effective in regulating an I have read Lord Cullen’s report into aspect of a good organisational safety industry which continues to evolve, the 1988 disaster, and the reports on culture, and safety culture is one the regulator itself has to adapt and Deepwater Horizon, Nimrod, Texas area where all offshore regulators City, Buncefield – the list goes on. change – while of course holding the agree is critical to securing long- While the precise circumstances key principles of the regime intact. term improvements. We cannot and contexts of these incidents differ The legacy of the Piper Alpha underestimate the difficulties of in some respects, at heart I am left disaster lives on with all of us addressing this offshore. In practice with the feeling that there are no connected with the offshore industry. it means trying to win the hearts and new accidents. Rather there are old There is no doubt that the changes minds of workers who are often not accidents repeated by new people. which were made to the offshore safety directly employed by the offshore regime following the tragic events of Goal-setting approach installation operator and who are 1988 have had a lasting impact. It is precisely because of that need to increasingly from different international I hope that on this most poignant of learn, adapt and improve that I believe cultures. Safety culture cannot be one of the most important principles achieved through legislation. Rather anniversaries we will be able to honour to emerge from Piper Alpha, from it is the combination of many factors those men who lost their lives 25 years a regulatory perspective, was the including leadership and competence ago by committing afresh to developing introduction of a goal-setting approach which translate into a set of behaviours a global safety culture in this industry to offshore oil and gas work activities. at all levels in an organisation. It is which responds to the challenges we all This approach was designed to ensure often encapsulated in the phrase face in the 21st century. 16 Safety Management July 2013 Feature and implemented in the five years board. To boost the robustness of Robert after. Firstly, responsibility for safety critical parts of installations, regulating offshore health and safety they are verified by independent, Paterson was transferred from the Department competent organisations as being both of Energy to the Health and Safety initially suitable for their purpose and Executive (HSE). remaining to operate as intended and Secondly, a new regime was in good repair and condition. established whereby a ‘safety case’ Proper planning and control of work for every production platform and activities is ensured by the permit to drilling rig operating in UK waters work system which authorises certain had to be submitted to the HSE for its people to do specific work at a certain acceptance. This regime is critical to time and place and sets out the main the systematic identification of hazards precautions that need to be taken to and the measures put in place to complete the work safely. In addition, reduce the hazards, allowing operators the reporting of incidents has improved to identify the gaps and therefore the hugely with a legal duty being placed Health, safety and employment safety controls required. on employers and beyond that, detailed, issues director voluntary information on offshore Oil & Gas UK The safety case hydrocarbon releases is submitted The safety case must demonstrate that by operators so that experiences can the company has a safety management be shared and lessons learnt across Workforce system in place to ensure compliance the industry. engagement is key with the law, has identified all hazards with the potential to cause a major Workforce engagement is the future to further progress accident and has evaluated the major Staggering improvements have Few will need to be reminded that July accident risks. The company must therefore been made in offshore this year marks the 25th anniversary then show it has put in place measures safety since 1988 as a result of to control these risks and ensure all these changes. But there is no of the Piper Alpha disaster. As the compliance with the law. They must room for complacency. Key now to world’s worst offshore disaster, it also demonstrate the provision and continuing further on the path of claimed the lives of 167 men and cast availability of a temporary refuge in case continuous improvement is promoting a dark shadow over everyone and of a major incident when the normal, the engagement of the workforce everything connected to oil and gas protected muster point is unavailable in their safety.
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