Piper Alpha remembered 31 years after oil rig disaster
One of Scotland’s most horrendous disasters in oil and gas history was remembered in Aberdeen today.
Piper Alpha
Piper Alpha survivor to step into key safety role
A man who has worked tirelessly to improve working conditions in the North Sea after almost perishing on Piper Alpha has been appointed to lead Step Change in Safety.
Piper Alpha trauma specialist joins firm
Piper Alpha trauma expert David Alexander has officially joined the support team of a north-east firm offering a range of specialist training services.
Australia on cusp of Piper Alpha-style disaster, warns visiting trade unionist
An Australian trade unionist and safety representative, who is currently locked in a David v Goliath battle with an oil giant has claimed his country is “on the cusp” of a disaster similar to Piper Alpha.
Piper Alpha report made free to public after charges deemed ‘unacceptable’
A landmark report into the Piper Alpha disaster has finally been made free to the public, decades since its publication.
Piper Alpha memorial fundraising passes £40,000
Fundraising for the Piper Alpha memorial gardens in Aberdeen has passed the £40,000 mark.
Echoes of events that led to Piper Alph being felt once more say trade unions
Trade unions yesterday condemned North Sea workforce conditions claiming signs of the failings that led to Piper Alpha are “coming to the surface again”.
Global demand for Monopoly boards designed to help Piper Alpha memorial
A new board game designed to raise money for a charity set up in memory of Piper Alpha has attracted interest from as far afield as Congo and New Zealand.
‘Perilous’ oil and gas releases being treated ‘seriously and appropriately’ OGUK tells HSE
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been told the industry is taking “perilous” oil and gas releases “seriously” after a warning was issued by the regulator.
Investigation launched after North Sea operator forced to evacuate staff due to faulty lifeboat concerns
An investigation has been launched after a North Sea operator was forced to evacuate staff due to concerns over faulty lifeboats.
Tributes paid on 30th anniversary of Piper Alpha disaster
Nearly 1,000 people gathered at a special memorial event last night to remember the 167 men who died in the Piper Alpha disaster 30 years ago.
Piper Alpha memorial gardens fundraiser reaching its target
A fundraising event for the upkeep of the Piper Alpha memorial gardens in Aberdeen is closing in on its £30,000 target.
Piper Alpha banner on show at Aberdeen Maritime Museum
It was sent all the way from Australia to Aberdeen as a means of commemorating those who died on Piper Alpha.
Piper Alpha: Tributes given to men that died at 30th anniversary memorial service
Politicians from across the party spectrum have paid tribute to the victims of the Piper Alpha disaster.
Bishop and Moderator say Piper Alpha memories remain raw 30 years later
Religious leaders have spoken of how the world must remember Piper Alpha because “we dare not forget”.
Piper Alpha at 30: The disaster that opened the nation’s eyes to the industry
On the 7th of July 1988 the country woke up to an unfolding tragedy, yet it wasn’t until the evening, sitting down to the nine o’clock news that most of us learned of the enormity of what had happened on the Piper Alpha oil platform.
Where to pay your respects to the Piper Alpha victims
While the Act of Remembrance at Hazlehead Park this evening is the key event marking the anniversary of the disaster there are other opportunities for those who want to reflect and pay their respects.
Piper Alpha at 30: a time to pause and reflect on what happened 30 years ago today
They are two words inextricably linked with tragedy and human loss on an unprecedented scale in the history of offshore energy.
Piper Alpha: Spaces for reflection have grown in importance to bereaved families over the years
The memorial garden is a special place for the people of Aberdeen in remembering those workers who perished.
Piper Alpha: The men who were honoured as heroes amid the horror
The Queen commemorated the exploits of 20 men who displayed conspicuous courage in the worst possible circumstances during the Piper Alpha disaster.
Piper Alpha: I was 18 when my dad died
Shane Gorman was just 18 when the Piper Alpha tragedy unfolded, with his father Dave being among the 167 people to lose their lives.
Piper Alpha: It didn’t destroy my love of the sea
Amid the horror of Piper Alpha, there were such remarkable acts of bravery that 20 men were decorated for their part in the rescue efforts — some giving their own lives to save others.
Piper Alpha: The 167 men who died in the disaster
The Piper Alpha tragedy on July 6 1988 left 167 men dead. As the 30th anniversary approaches, these are the names and ages of the victims. Most of the men were from the UK, but the casualties also included workers from France and the United States.
Piper Alpha: ‘The city was numb, it was in shock’
Photographer Sandy McCook was among those covering the unfolding Piper Alpha disaster – and remembers clearly the struggle to keep focused on the job as the city was plunged into grief.
Piper Alpha: How one man’s instinct led him to ignore the rules — and make it out alive
Steve Rae escaped with his life from the burning Piper Alpha rig because he ignored the rules – and has spent the last 30 years improving safety systems as a result.
Piper Alpha: Diver Ed Punchard feels a strong duty to make the best of life after surviving disaster
The stories of those who survived Piper Alpha – and those who were left behind when loved ones perished – offer a moving insight into the myriad emotional stresses and strains and the different ways to deal with them.
Piper Alpha: Have we learned the lessons?
One of the key questions posed repeatedly in the decades since the Piper Alpha disaster is: could it happen again? The head of a leading safety group and a senior trade unionist give their verdicts.
Piper Alpha: Cullen Report left no stone unturned
Piecing together precisely what happened, why it happened and how to prevent another Piper Alpha happening again took Lord Cullen two years and 400 pages. The impact can be seen across the industry today and his verdict on the present state of offshore safety continues to hold great weight.
Piper Alpha: Dad survived but his struggle never stopped
The physical injuries of those who escaped were more easily mended than the psychological. Both left scars. The son of one survivor knows from painful experience just how deep they can run.
Piper Alpha: How the worst of times brought out the best in health workers
The scale of the Piper Alpha disaster was beyond anything Aberdeen's flagship hospital had experience before. At the helm was medical director Gordon Stone, who vividly recalls the extraordinary team spirit show by staff.
Piper Alpha: Workers’ lives are still shaped by tragedy
When the dreadful news about Piper Alpha broke I was in London working as a graduate trainee for Shell’s downstream business.
Piper Alpha: Red Adair’s plan to tame the fires
When world-famous US firefighter Red Adair flew in from Houston to orchestrate the operation to “kill” the Piper Alpha wells, the mission appeared immense. Some even thought it impossible.