The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has highlighted a rise in incidents involving attendant ships colliding with offshore wind and oil and gas energy structures. The HSE attributed these incidents to failures in navigational watch processes and systems, which are resulting in both collisions and near-collisions.
The HSE identified several factors contributing to these accidents. A primary concern is that personnel responsible for watchkeeping and safe navigation are being distracted by non-navigational tasks. This lack of focus, combined with insufficient situational awareness and inadequate communication within bridge teams, has led to safety risks.
In response, the HSE emphasized the need for duty holders and vessel operators to establish robust processes and systems as part of a broader safe work framework. “Duty holders and vessel operators should have in place processes and systems, as part of a wider safe system of work, to ensure that, during connected activities, vessels are operated in a way that ensures, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of people on nearby installations,” the HSE stated.
The HSE’s warning underscores the importance of maintaining vigilant and effective operational protocols to mitigate the risks of collisions in offshore energy sectors.
