Major hazards can all too easily translate to catastrophe when just one minor mistake is made. We should worry. HSE data for 2005/06 shows five major gas leaks each of which had the potential to cause another Piper Alpha. Ignition sources were fortunately absent in all but one — the Rough 47/3b gas complex. An explosion put the field out of commission for half a year. There were no fatalities, but it was a close run thing. Blow-down and shutdown systems worked as designed and the platform crew acted with superlative professionalism.
Head of the HSE Offshore Safety Division, Ian Whewell, has gone public with his anxiety that the main safety indicators for the UK sector are moving in the wrong direction showing a markedly worse performance compared with previous years. He said: “There is no doubt we have got a fatality record that nobody should be wanting, particularly when compared to Norway.”
His concern about deteriorating occupational safety performance was matched by his disappointment that the industry failed to meet its target of a 10% year-on-year reduction in hydrocarbon leaks in the year 2006/07. However, in regard to process safety the overall trend on loss of containment events is encouraging. The industry has seen a very steady reduction in the overall figures and escapes are down 50% of what they were in the year 2000.