Safety commitment questioned

Today, Monday July 6 marks the tragic anniversary of the Piper Alpha oil rig explosion which claimed the lives of 167 workers and devastated a community. It happened 27 years ago in 1988.

The disaster saw the North Sea platform engulfed in a ball of flames after a gas leak ignited. It robbed 167 lives but devastated hundreds more.

Unite believes that on this anniversary management should consider a rethink on changes to offshore work rotas. Unite has demanded that new shift rotas and other changes imposed by the oil companies are removed in the interests of the health and safety of workers.

 

“In the aftermath of Piper Alpha there was, quite rightly, a focus on the need to maintain the highest standards of health and safety,” said Pat Rafferty, Unite regional secretary.

 

“In our view that commitment on the part of the employers is now under question,” he added.

 

The oil companies are trying to impose new shift rotas and other changes which force workers to work offshore for longer periods and could have an effect on morale.

 

“Piper Alpha is now compounding the situation by refusing to honour agreed wage increases and cut terms and conditions – all of which is seriously damaging workforce morale in one of our most dangerous industries,” added Pat.

 

The North Sea oil production platform, located 120 miles Northeast of Aberdeen, began production in 1976 and converted to gas production later on.

 

“In remembering those who lost their lives the employers should reinforce their commitment to health and safety standards and recognise that such standards are threatened by effects on morale and longer working periods,” said Pat.

 

“They must honour the agreements they made on wages and move away from the imposition of longer offshore working,” he added.