Oil and gas industry advised to take measures to reduce workplace accidents

Britain's offshore gas and oil sector has been advised to improve its health and safety regulations in order to limit the number of workplace accidents taking place in the industry.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released figures showing that the number of major injuries and unplanned hydrocarbon releases have increased in relation to previous years throughout 2009-10.

According to the statistics, the amount of severe injuries in the field almost doubled from 30 in 2008-09 to 50 in 2009-10, a figure which is also higher than the average posted for the previous five years.

Hydrocarbon releases were up from 61 last year to a provisional total of 85 this time around.

For the third consecutive year, there were no fatalities recorded in the offshore gas and oil industry, but Steve Walker, head of the HSE's offshore division, remarked that "hazards are ever present offshore".

Meanwhile, this industry could be set to grow in the UK with a new report stating that as many as 48,000 new jobs could be created in it over the next ten years.

Posted by Helen Jones
 

25/08/2010 13:30