In order to communicate as mentioned in the first subsection, it should be possible, inter alia, to
- provide important information to personnel on the facility during operations and in hazard and accident situations,
- communicate important information between personnel in the control centre, personnel engaged in the operation of process facilities, drilling operations and lifting operations,
- establish and maintain direct and continuous communication between communication operators, field and platform management, internal and external emergency resources during hazard and accident situations,
- provide communication in the event of a coordinated action against acute pollution.
The requirement relating to external communication as mentioned in the first subsection, means that manned facilities shall have 24-hour continuous telecommunications services with monitoring service on VHF channel 70 (DSC) and channel 16. The service can be established on one’s own facility or as a part of a joint solution where several facilities are within a specifically defined area.
In connection with such a solution,
- a central communications centre should be established on one of the facilities and an alternative centre should be prepared on one of the other facilities,
- the facilities covered by the solution should be covered by mutual VHF radio communication and be organised under the second-line emergency preparedness management,
- efficient routines should be established to achieve contact with the facilities when the local radio station is not manned,
- the facilities shall have mutual permanent communication systems.
The other facilities covered by this solution should have a communication operator who primarily handles communication tasks in hazard and accident situations.
A person responsible for communications as mentioned in the second subsection, means a person who has a particular responsibility to ensure the professional operation of the facility's radio station and use of the other communication systems at all times.