HSE Press Release E017:02 - 31 January 2002

New guidance to cut offshore lifting deaths and injuries

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today publishes technical guidance on the safe use of lifting equipment offshore as part of a key initiative to reduce the incidence of lifting related injuries and deaths offshore.

The new guidance supplements existing HSE guidance on the safe use of lifting equipment and provides technical information for those who are involved in the operation and control of lifting equipment offshore. It has been written for dutyholders, OIMs, managers and people who are directly involved in using lifting equipment offshore, although others, such as safety representatives, manufacturers, suppliers and verification bodies will also find it useful. The guidance covers all frequently used lifting equipment and accessories. It includes a section on personnel carriers.

Taf Powell, head of HSE Offshore Division, said:

"Lifting operations create an unacceptably high level of risk offshore - between 4 January 2000 and now, there were six offshore deaths, four of which were directly related to the use of lifting equipment.

"Relatively straightforward measures could have prevented many recent accidents. For this reason we have prepared this guidance which gives information on technical measures rather than management and control issues.

"We have produced guidance specifically for the offshore industry because in many ways the offshore environment makes lifting operations different from onshore lifting - for example the corrosion caused by the salt spray, the lack of space on installations and the difficulties of lifting from vessels which move with the wind and waves.

Mr Powell concluded:

"HSE Offshore Division has an important initiative in place which aims to encourage industry to reduce the incidence of lifting-related accidents by 15% by 2004. This guidance will play a key part by raising awareness of the relatively simple measures which can reduce the numbers of deaths and injuries associated with the use of lifting equipment offshore."

Notes to Editors

1. This guidance supplements the Approved Codes of Practice that support the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. These two sets of regulations apply to all sectors of industry, including offshore.

2. This new guidance does not impose any more stringent standards than those previously in place. It aims to provide guidance on how to comply with relevant legislation.

Copies of 'Technical Guidance on the Safe Use of Lifting Equipment Offshore' can be ordered online at http://books.hse.gov.uk or are available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA, tel: 01787 881165 or fax: 01787 313995. (HSG221) ISBN 0 7176 2100 6. Price £15.

PUBLIC ENQUIRIES:

Call HSE's InfoLine, tel: 0845 345 0055
or write to: HSE Information Services, Caerphilly Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG.

Published on the HSE web site on 1 February 2002

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