From 19 to 22 November 2018, we carried out an audit of the management of health, safety and the environment in the interface between Equinor, the maintenance and modification contractor Wood and the scaffolding, insulation and painting contractor Bilfinger. We followed up a selected maintenance and modification campaign and assessed how the operator, M&M contractor and SIP contractor, on the basis of their roles and responsibilities, managed working environment risk and major accident risk in the planning and execution of the work. We placed a special emphasis on following up whether the campaign organisation of the maintenance and modification work had unintended negative HSE consequences.

Objective

The objective of the audit was to monitor that:

  • Equinor, and the M&M and SIP contractors are managing major accident and working environment risk, in the light of altered contract framework conditions
  • Cost savings/change processes are not having unintended negative HSE consequences
  • The requirement for continuous improvement is being provided for
  • Employee participation is genuine and is given attention, i.e. that the participants facilitate safety work and working environment committee activities under changed framework conditions

Result

The audit identified one non-conformity:

  • There was inadequate management of working environment risk for Wood personnel, including contract workers

Four improvement points were identified:

  • Equinor had not sufficiently monitored that there was a fully justifiable level of HSE in respect of maintenance and modification work at Snorre A
  • The division of responsibilities between Equinor and Wood in respect of the follow-up of working environment risk was not clearly and unambiguously defined
  • Improvement potentials were identified relating to the dissemination of necessary information to relevant users.
  • Deficiencies in evacuation routes that may impede simple, rapid and safe evacuation

What happens now?

We have asked Equinor to report on how the non-conformity will be addressed. We have also asked the company for an assessment of the improvement points we observed.

The deadline for feedback is set at 15 October 2019.