The audit was carried out from 11 to 14 April 2019. The audit focused on logistics, including materials handling, use and maintenance of lifting equipment, work at height, scaffolding, access techniques and management of health risk at their facilities at Ula D & P.

Objective

Within logistics, the objective of the audit was to:

  • Monitor the company’s administration and management of materials handling
  • Monitor lifting operations and the technical condition of lifting equipment at Ula D & P
  • Verify that Aker BP’s management of the maintenance of lifting equipment and scaffolding materials complied with the company’s own and the regulatory requirements within the audit area
  • Follow up tasks performed by the scaffolding division
  • Monitor access techniques and work at height
  • Follow up findings from previous audits

Within the working environment, the objective of the audit was to:

  • Assess whether Aker B’s systems for management and follow-up of health risk in the working environment at Ula D & P comply with the regulatory requirements
  • Assess the provision of capacity and competence with the working environment
  • Assess roles and responsibilities
  • Assess how Aker BP facilitates genuine employee participation
  • Follow up findings from previous audits

Result

In line with the content of our audit notice, as part of this audit, we verified how Aker BP has addressed specific previously identified non-conformities.

The following non-conformities have not been addressed in line with Aker BP’s feedback of 16 June 2016:

  • Non-conformity concerning scaffolding
    • Reason: Deficiencies in scaffolding
  • Non-conformity concerning maintenance of offshore cranes
    • Reason: Inadequate maintenance of offshore cranes

13 regulatory non-conformities were identified:

  • Decision support relating to stairways at Ula D
  • Ergonomic factors concerning manual operation of valves
  • Chemical exposure
  • Training in safety and the working environment
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Training in health risk
  • Competence
  • Risk assessment of access to scaffolding
  • Follow-up of scaffolding
  • Competence relating to scaffolding erection and access techniques
  • Maintenance
  • Follow-up of lifting facilities
  • Maintenance of offshore cranes

4 improvement points were identified:

  • Classification of chemicals in use
  • Local procedures for crane and lifting operations
  • Internal requirements for work at height
  • Logistics planning

The audit detected substantial deficiencies in the arrangement and follow-up of work at height and scaffolding.

Based on our observations during the audit, we have issued Aker BP with the following order:

Pursuant to the Framework Regulations, Section 69 concerning administrative decisions, with reference to the Management Regulations, Section 4 concerning risk reduction, first and second paras, Section 6 concerning the management of health, safety and the environment, Section 8 concerning internal requirements, Section 11 concerning the basis for making decisions and decision criteria and Section 18 concerning working environment analysis, we order you:

In connection with access to:

  • Conduct a comprehensive and systematic review of decision support for selecting both organisational and technical measures concerning the health risk associated with stairways at Ula D, for personnel groups who, in performing their work, regularly use these stairs, whether or not carrying materials.
  • Implement necessary measures concerning the review of the decision support.

In connection with work at height to:

  • Review and assess systems for the management of work at height and scaffolding
  • Implement necessary measures relating to the review of the management systems for work at height and scaffolding
  • Review routines for following up scaffolding suppliers

with reference to chapter 5 of the report, non-conformities 5.1.1 and 5.1.8 to 5.1.10.

What happens now?

A time-delimited schedule for complying with the orders shall be sent to the PSA by 19 June 2019. The schedule shall describe how this work is to be performed and followed up and when the orders will have been complied with. We are to be notified when the orders have been carried out.