North Sea Emergency Response Preparedness

25 Years On

Claire ForbesResponse Consultants

• report contained 106 recommendations (Nov 1990)

• Safety Case required for each installation

• operators must demonstrate their ability to manage safety and emergencies as part of the Safety Management System

• major engineering projects to platforms, subsea isolation valves, escape systems and equipment

Public Enquiry Lord Cullen

27 September 2013 Response Consultants

• personnel tracking system common to all operators

• OIMs and offshore emergency management teams train together regularly at onshore simulator facility

• OIMs and CROs assessed every 3 years against industry-approved Standards of Competence

• survival training and refresher in fire-fighting, escape, helicopter ditching every 4 years

• new arrivals offshore attend briefing to identify muster points, escape routes, lifeboat stations, safety and escape equipment

• weekly drills/musters

Emergency PreparednessOffshore arrangements

27 September 2013 Response Consultants

Emergency PreparednessTiered Approach

27 September 2013 Response Consultants

incident

Emergency PreparednessTiered Approach

27 September 2013 Response Consultants

Installation

Incident Response Teams

Tier 1

Operational Level

incident

Emergency PreparednessTiered Approach

27 September 2013 Response Consultants

Regional Office Emergency Response Team

Installation

Incident Response Teams

Tier 1

Operational Level

Tier 2

Tactical Level

incident

minor

major

increasing severity

Emergency PreparednessTiered Approach

27 September 2013 Response Consultants

Corporate HeadquartersCrisis Management Team

Regional Office Emergency Response Team

Installation

Incident Response Teams

Tier 1

Operational Level

Tier 2

Tactical Level

Tier 3

Strategic Level

incident

minor

major

increasing severity

• integrated approach to emergencies between operators, coastguard, police and contractors

• dedicated emergency response rooms

• up to 100 emergency response team members in weekly rota

• additional personnel are members of relatives, media and evacuation reception teams

• personnel at the corporate headquarters may mobilise to form the Crisis Management Team

Emergency PreparednessOnshore infrastructure

27 September 2013 Response Consultants

Emergency PreparednessOnshore Teams and Contacts

27 September 2013 Response Consultants

SafetyContact

POBAssistant

PersonnelContact Log Keeper Site

Contact

EmergencyCoordinator

Crisis Management

Team

LogisticsContact

police

RelativesCoordinator

andResponders

MediaCoordinator

andResponders

Rep atCoastguard

Coastguardpress/mediarelatives

installation helicopters, vesselsmedical,

regulator

AdminSupport

EnvironmentContact

regulator, oil spill contractor

EvacuationReps

evacuees

POB/Vantage,contractors

Regional Management

installation

• formal training for all new emergency response team members

• separate training for media and relatives responders and evacuation reception personnel

• frequent exercises, typically one annual full-day major exercise, many half-day drills throughout the year

• audit exercises with marine and drilling contractors prior to mobilisation

• training and exercises for contractors

Emergency PreparednessOnshore training and exercises

27 September 2013 Response Consultants

“When disaster strikes, the time to prepare has passed”

27 September 2013 Response Consultants