Unite the union has called on the UK Government to “urgently” review its decision not to hold a public inquiry into offshore helicopter safety as the second anniversary of the 2013 Sumburgh tragedy approaches.
Tomorrow will mark two years since four workers died a Super Puma ditched off the coast of Shetland on August 23, 2013.
The accident took the number of helicopter fatalities in the UK Continental Shelf since 2002 to 38 – sparking fresh calls from offshore trade unions to investigate the industry’s “comparatively high” incident rates.
The UK Government ruled out an independent probe, saying there was no evidence to suggest safety was being compromised.
Unite Scottish Secretary, Pat Rafferty, said it was now more important than ever to ensure helicopter safety is as tight as possible given cuts in the industry.
“We need full transparency over the link between commercial pressure and its impact on the safe transfer of offshore workers to and from installations in the UKCS – this can only be achieved through a public inquiry,” he said.
“For the UK government to claim that our safety record is comparable with our Norwegian counterparts – who enacted a series of public duties which strengthened health and safety laws in the wake of their last fatalities in 1997 – is shameful.”
Deirdre Michie, Oil & Gas UK’s chief executive, said that while the industry accepted the decision not to hold a public inquiry, it was “keenly awaiting” the results of the Air Accident Investigation Branch’s (AAIB) investigation.
“We will ensure the AAIB’s findings are shared throughout the industry as a matter of paramount importance.
“We never stop working to find opportunities to make our workforce safer.”