Wood Group PSN and a string of other firms have formally been served with safety violation warnings following a fatal rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico.
The decision by US authorities follows a damning report – revealed in the Press and Journal last week – into safety procedures on the platform where three workers were killed following an explosion during welding work last November.
Each incident carries a potential fine of £25,000 per day of non-compliance. The Aberdeen-based firm has 60 days to appeal.
The company said it had was now reviewing the non-compliance incidents and would study the findings of the safety report.
The company is one of three contractors, alongside rig operators Black Elk, to face safety violation citations by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). Louisiana firms Compass Engineering and Grand Isle Shipyard have also been charged.
The BSEE notice of non-compliance cites Wood Group PSN for failing in 11 areas, including failing to ensure that construction activities were performed in a safe and workmanlike manner, and not taking proper precautions to protect workers from fire hazards.
The charges come almost a year to the day after three workers on the West Delta rig died and three more were seriously injured.
Oil vapours ignited during welding work on an oil tank pipe on the platform. It was connected to two further oil tanks, sparking a chain reaction that blew up two of the containers.
Ellroy Corporal was killed almost immediately, while Jerome Malagapo died of injuries caused by the blast. A third worker, Avelino Tajonera, died of his injuries at Baton Rouge Hospital.
A spokeswoman for Wood Group PSN said the company was studying the recommendations of the safety report.
“This was a tragic event involving seven companies and we need to take some time to fully understand the recommendations in the BSEE report issued last week,” the company said.
“Wood Group actively promotes that every employee has the right to stop work that may be unsafe or presents any risk to people. The findings from this investigation serve to reinforce the importance of effective communication between all parties on a facility, and the right for people to stop work.
“The BSEE has made recommendations in its report that are relevant to the entire US oil and gas industry, operators and service companies alike.
“We will work with the BSEE to ensure that the industry recommendations attributed to us are implemented to prevent anything like this happening again.”