Government Status: OIAC HLG/13 M1 FULLY OPEN

Health and Safety
Executive
Government Status:
FULLY OPEN
OIAC HLG/13 M1
HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE
OFFSHORE INDUSTRY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
HELICOPTER LIAISON GROUP (OIAC HLG)
Minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2013 at HSE, Aberdeen
Present
Chair:
Members:
Representing
Pat Naylor
Paul Heeney
Conrad de Souza
Elspeth More
Lisa McGhee
Rebecca Borresen
Kevin Payne
Dave Howson
Alex Knight
Ian Evans
John Taylor
Jake Molloy
Phil Sumner
HSE
HSE
HSE
HSE
HSE
Oil & Gas UK
CAA
CAA
HCA
BROA
Unite
RMT
HSE (secretary)
Tony Ridley
Mark Ward
Peter Norton
Phil Ley
Robert Paterson
BALPA
IMCA
BHA
OCA
Oil & Gas UK
Apologies:
Item 1 – Introduction
1.
Pat Naylor advised of the following HSE membership changes on HLG:
Tom McLaren was moving to other duties within HSE and would no longer be
Chairman of HLG. Pat Naylor would himself shortly be replaced as HSE
Aviation Focal Point by Paul Heeney, with Conrad de Souza taking on
responsibility for helideck structural issues. Phil Sumner was due to retire
shortly from HSE and would be replaced as Secretary by Lisa McGhee.
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Item 2 – Status of Actions arising from the minutes of the previous
meeting held on 26 June 2012 as published on the HSE website
at http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/meetings/iacs/oiac/hlg.htm
ACTION 1: Kevin Payne to provide a report on progress of discussions
with industry on NUI fire-fighting provision at HLG’s next
meeting. COVERED AS AGENDA ITEM 4
ACTION 2: HSE and CAA to consider the most appropriate means of
removing the Offshore Helideck Design Guidelines from the
public record and make the necessary arrangements,
advising OIAC and HLG members accordingly. COVERED
AS AGENDA ITEM 8
ACTION 3: Dave Howson to discuss with John Taylor the possibility of
providing a summary of the main points from the HLG
Research Update for the offshore workforce. SEE PARA 2
BELOW.
2.
John Taylor advised that he was content to accept the Research
Update as it stood as it was a publicly available document. ACTION
CLEARED
Item 3 – Feedback from OIAC meeting held on 19 March 2013
3.
Pat Naylor advised that in Tom McLaren’s absence Steve Walker,
Chairman of OIAC, had presented HLG’s report to OIAC on activities during
2012. In a subsequent briefing, Steve Walker had advised Pat Naylor that in
presenting the paper, he had stated to OIAC that he felt that it was the right
moment to consider whether the scope of aviation activities dealt with by HLG
should in future be handled in a different manner. Accordingly, he was inviting
HLG members to consider whether HLG should cease to exist as a separate
group, and instead have helicopter issues included in future as a standing
item within OIAC’s agenda. Sub-groups of OIAC would be established on
particular issues which could not be fully addressed during meetings of OIAC.
HLG was invited to submit a report on this proposal to OIAC’s next meeting.
4.
Pat Naylor invited members to provide their initial reactions to the
proposal and the following points were made in discussion:
John Taylor stressed that the TU’s relied on HLG for obtaining information for
the workforce on helicopter safety issues to which they did not automatically
get access by other means. It was wrong to abolish HLG as a separate group
at a time when helicopter safety was still a key issue.
Jake Molloy saw the proposal as a further reduction in his ability to report to
members on helicopter safety issues. He questioned whether OIAC was likely
to devote sufficient time to aviation issues within its agenda. Industry
helicopter groups such as Step Change were not able to mandate industry
whereas HLG was able to do so. A response opposing the proposal would be
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prepared jointly by RMT and Unite (along with TGWU?) under the aegis of
STUC (Scottish TUC)
Dave Howson similarly questioned whether OIAC would be prepared or able
to allocate sufficient time to aviation issues and saw difficulties in
accommodating it within OIAC’s agenda. He did not agree with the suggestion
that there was considerable overlap between the work of HLG, HSRMC,
HSSG and ASTG. He also noted that the continuation of the HLG had been
reviewed in 2011and there had also been strong support from almost all
members for it to continue at that time.
Alex Knight expressed concern that HCA would not be involved in OIAC and
saw a danger of the proposed standing item quickly taking on the status of
‘nothing to report’.
Kevin Payne drew attention to the specific inclusion of HLG as a body for
tripartite liaison on helicopter safety matters within Annex 4 to the HSE/SRG
MoU.
Ian Evans saw value in the retention of HLG as a separate body for the
discussion of mobile installation helideck issues as these were not covered by
other forums.
Rebecca Borresen, standing in for Robert Paterson (OGUK), did not comment
on the proposal but stated that OIAC were aware of Robert Paterson’s
feelings on this matter.
ACTION 1:
Paul Heeney to write to HLG members seeking their views
on proposals made by the Chairman of OIAC for the
future handling of helicopter issues and to prepare a report
for OIAC’s next meeting.
Item 4 – Update on the progress of discussions between CAA, HCA and
industry on NUI helideck fire-fighting arrangements
5.
Kevin Payne referred to CAA’s letter to industry dated 1 July 2011
prescribing various options within an overall specification for the provision of
fire-fighting equipment for 116 UKCS NUIs, within the principle that there
should be automatic initiation of the primary foam system. The required date
for implementation was fully defined in the industry letter with those NUIs
classified as ‘high intensity’, within defined thresholds, required to be
compliant by mid-2014, and those classified as ‘standard or low intensity’ by
mid-2017.
6.
Rebecca Borresen reported that following detailed consideration of
DNV’s report of the Joint Industry Project commissioned by Oil & Gas UK,
Industry had ‘parked’ the idea of modifying the helicopters and now favoured
a holistic approach involving the assessment of all risks in relation to each
NUI helideck with emphasis placed on safety improvements that help to
reduce the likelihood of a helicopter ‘crash and burn’ scenario. The JIP was
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also concerned about the levels of additional risk they perceived were
involved in the fitment of systems to ensure compliance with the objectives
and specifications in CAA’s letter.
7.
It was noted that whilst discussions between industry, CAA and HCA
would continue, the specification in CAP 437 Appendix D must retain primacy
and compliance within the specified implementation dates
(inspection/approach) against this. Pat Naylor felt that it would assist if
clarification of the definition of a NUI was provided and, since it was within
HSE’s gift to do so, undertook to provide this for HLG members.
ACTION 2: Pat Naylor to clarify the definition of a NUI, advising HLG
members accordingly.
Item 5 – Implementation of new helideck lighting
8.
Kevin Payne referred to CAA’s letters issued to the four UK Offshore
Helicopter Operator’s Accountable Managers on 26 February 2013 setting out
the requirements for implementation of new helideck lighting systems,
comprising a lit touchdown/positioning marking and a lit heliport identification
marking for helidecks on installations and vessels operating in the UKCS. The
final specification has been updated in CAP437 7th edition AL01-2013. It was
being proposed that the new lighting scheme should be implemented on all
UKCS helidecks by 31 March 2018, with half being equipped by 31 March
2016. CAA’s letter encourages duty holders to work with helicopter operators
and the HCA to prioritise their decks for fitment of the new lighting on the
basis of risk assessment principles. The initiative was fully supported by
industry and, with the initial roll-out of the scheme taking place under the
watchful eye of an industry led specialist task group, implementation is not
expected to present any particular problems. An update would be provided to
HLG’s next meeting, in whatever form the meeting takes.
Item 6 – Review of HSE/SRG MoU Annex 4, Offshore Operations
9.
Kevin Payne reported that the updated MoU was now accessible via
the CAA website at http://www.caa.co.uk/ . Annex 4 provided clear lines of
demarcation between the responsibilities of CAA and HSE, and he advised
that on the initiation of HSE offshore structures, including wind turbines, were
now included within the scope of the MoU.
Item 7 – Research Update
10.
Dave Howson summarised the progress of work on key items within
the joint industry HSRMC research programme, a copy of which had been
circulated to HLG members. Research under the heading of Side Floating
Helicopters was regarded as being of particular importance by TU members.
Dave Howson undertook to keep HLG briefed on any future decisions taken
by EASA to mandate the introduction of the side floating system.
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11.
The Project proposal from Prof. V. Strusevich entitled Low Risk
Helicopter Synopsis for respect of flight scheduling was considered by
members to be more a matter for the offshore industry. Pat Naylor would
advise Prof. Strusevich to this effect.
ACTION 3: Pat Naylor to reply to Prof V. Strusevich giving HLG’s views
on his Project Proposal for low risk helicopter scheduling.
Item 8 – Future status of the Offshore Helideck Design Guidelines
12.
Pat Naylor reported that the Design Guidelines had now been removed
from HSE’s website but would remain accessible within the National Archive
which maintains an online archive of Government websites – see
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120104121043/http:/www.hse.go
v.uk/offshore/guidance/helideck.pdf
Item 9 – AOB
13.
Alex Knight drew attention to his note to members dated 19 March
2013 seeking an interpretation for certification of the ‘expected life’ loading of
the netting product which was included in OGUK’s Helideck Perimeter Safety
Net Guidance. In discussion, HCA’s interpretation of 2 x 125 kgs = 250kgs
was confirmed. It was agreed to provide an article in Tea-shack News as a
means of communicating this to the offshore workforce.
ACTION 4: Paul Heeney to provide an article for Tea-shack News
confirming helideck perimeter safety net loading factors.
14.
In acknowledging his impending retirement on 31st March, thanks were
extended to Phil Sumner for his work as Secretary to HLG.
SUMMARY OF AGREED ACTIONS
ACTION 1: Paul Heeney to write to HLG members seeking their views
on the proposals made by the Chairman of OIAC for the
future handling of helicopter issues and to prepare a report
for OIAC’s next meeting.
ACTION 2: Pat Naylor to clarify the definition of a NUI, advising HLG
members accordingly.
ACTION 3: Pat Naylor to reply to Prof V. Strusevich giving HLG’s views
on his Project Proposal for low risk helicopter scheduling.
ACTION 4: Paul Heeney to provide an article for Tea-shack News
confirming helideck perimeter net performance loading
factors.
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