Petrofac warned over welding fume risks on Kittiwake11 Jan 2024 20:21
10th January 2024 EnergyVoice
Safety regulators have put Petrofac on notice after it found poor assessments left offshore workers on the Kittiwake platform at risk of exposure to hazardous fumes. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors issued an improvement notice to the oilfield services giant for failing to suitably risk assess work carried out on the North Sea platform.
In particular it took issue with guidance that failed to require ventilation of welding fumes – “a known human carcinogen” capable of causing cancer. Located around 100 miles off Aberdeen, Petrofac (LON:PFC) is the duty holder for Kittiwake on behalf of its owner, EnQuest. The HSE found that a live work permit for fabrications and a Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) assessment for welding (KIT98) – a document which evaluates risks from hazardous substances – “conflicted one another”.
This meant the work permit required the use of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) when welding, whereas KIT98 “only highlighted the wearing of RPE when LEV was not present.” There is no indication workers were exposed to unventilated fumes in practice.
The company said it took the findings “extremely seriously” and made immediate changes, alongside a third-party review of its processes. (Ventilation crackdown)
A safety alert from HSE in 2019 warned of evidence that exposure to any welding fume – including from mild steel – can cause lung cancer, as well as limited evidence linking fumes to kidney cancer. At that time, the regulator indicated it would be stepping up its expectations of enforcement around ventilation when welding. In Petrofac’s case, it found that KIT98 failed to include considerations for the type of welding, the hazardous properties of substances involved with this type of work, amounts used, duration and information on potential health effects. The assessment used outdated legislation for hazard classification, did not identify any relevant workplace exposure limits and did not set out suitable measures to control welding fumes, HSE added.
Inspectors said a further six risk assessments were reviewed as part of the inspection, each of which were found not to adequately assess the risks and potential for hazardous exposure to employees.
Petrofac warned over welding fume
Safety regulators have put Petrofac on notice after it found poor assessments left offshore workers on the Kittiwake platform at risk of exposure to hazardous fumes.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors issued an improvement notice to the oilfield services giant for failing to suitably risk assess work carried out on the North Sea platform.
In particular it took issue with guidance that failed to require ventilation of welding fumes – “a known human carcinogen” capable of causing cancer.
https://www.energyvoice.com/health-safety-environment/545166/petrofac-warned-over-welding-fume-risks-on-k
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