New safety training standard for oil & gas industry
18 Apr 2012
London – A new oil and gas industry training standard, designed to improve safety at offshore worksites, has been launched and is available for use. The development follows a pilot programme carried out by OPITO last year.
Step Change in Safety, the industry body which seeks to make the UK the safest place to work in the worldwide oil and gas industry, developed the ‘Control of Work Training for Performing Authorities’.
Generally, performing authorities are those in charge of work parties on a site, assessing potential hazards and associated risks involved. Their role is to monitor and control the work and to respond to any changes in a work plan or conditions.
Step Change’s competence steering group recognised the importance of the role of the performing authority on worksites and sought to develop a universal industry-wide training standard which provides a minimum level of skills and knowledge of the role’s responsibilities.
As a result, a one-day training course has now been given approval by OPITO and launched, with safety training provider, Safety Hub, the first to be able to offer this course.
The performing authority role is vital because safe working is dependent on proper and effective control of work, according to Neil McCulloch co-chair of the competence steering group.
“By implementing a consistent standard for this role and giving all performing authorities a clear understanding of what this role requires, we can raise the bar and prevent accidents,” said McCulloch.
