The audit was conducted from 21 to 25 August 2023.

Background

Previous audits of Equinor’s offshore and onshore facilities have made repeated observations concerning weaknesses in Equinor’s systemic working environment management, and in the practice of risk management at the facilities.

Against this background, in 2021 we initiated supervision of Equinor’s systems and practices for managing working environment risk at an overarching level.

The objective of this supervisory activity was to assess whether Equinor’s follow-up and improvement processes implemented in relation to the management of working environment risk are sufficient for achieving regulatory compliance.

The audit of Statfjord B is seen in the context of this supervision and of observations from the audit of working environment management at Statfjord C, conducted in 2022.

Statfjord B is a late-life facility, whose organisation and follow-up comes under Equinor’s FLX operating unit.

Objective

The objective of the audit at Statfjord B was to verify that Equinor/FLX’s management of working environment risk prevents employees and temporary agency workers from being exposed to health hazards and the risk of sickness absence.

Result

The audit identified the following regulatory non-conformities:

  • Mismatch between resources and activities
  • Organisation of work and risk assessment
  • Safety delegate training
  • Compliance with own requirements 
  • Information on risks in the performance of work
  • Ergonomic factors
  • Noise-related health risks
  • Health risks from the chemical working environment

What happens now?

We have asked Equinor to report to us by 23 February 2024 on how the non-conformities will be addressed.