Personal safety questions arise after close call in Newfoundland

Personal safety questions will once again be on the agenda after a close call on an oil rig off Newfoundland shifted the attention back onto offshore safety issues.

A recent mishap on the Hibernia platform, which is located off the shores of Canada, has cast doubt on the effectiveness of current personal safety efforts after a 700-kilogram cooler became disconnected from a lifting beam and fell three metres to the floor.

The incident occurred only two weeks after a hydraulic cylinder plunged to the floor on the Henry Goodrich rig. It's still unclear what happened, but drilling stopped immediately, and the rig has now been relocated to Conception Bay, where it will remain offline until it has been declared safe by the Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB), the organization that regulates offshore oil drilling.

Although no one was hurt in either incident, there will now be an increased focus on how these accidents were able to occur. The union that represents offshore workers say accidents such as these highlight the requirement of an independent safety regulator, as it will be only a matter of time before such events cause personal injury or fatalities.

Dennis Flood, chief shop steward aboard Hibernia, and a representative of CEP Local 2121, told CBC News: "We, as workers, need somebody that we can talk to and deal with one on one.

"I'm not sure that we got that now. I don't think that's possible when the regulator that's issuing the license is looking out for our safety. I'm afraid there may be a conflict there."

Husky Energy, which operates the Henry Goodrich rig for its owner, Transocean, responded: "Husky has a strong safety culture and takes all incidents and near misses seriously," said Husky Energy in a statement. "We are currently working with Transocean to investigate the cause of this incident and will take actions to prevent a recurrence."

Posted by Joseph Hutton