The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued an urgent safety notice calling on oil, gas, and renewable energy operators to review offshore gangway systems following incidents in which motion-compensated gangways retracted without warning.
The regulator said unplanned gangway retractions—caused by power failures or control system errors—pose serious risks to offshore personnel, including falls from height, impact from moving parts, and potentially fatal injuries.
“Despite a previous safety alert in 2024, and the publication of industry good practice, we have become aware that gangways that provide insufficient warning before auto-retraction are still being used,” said Howard Harte, operations manager for offshore regulation at HSE.
The HSE stated that any gangway unable to provide sufficient advance warning of automatic retraction must be taken out of service until safety systems are installed. The notice follows continued reports of gangway malfunctions during personnel transfers between platforms and vessels.
“This safety notice addresses continuing incidents where gangway failures have resulted in unexpected retraction without adequate warning to operators or personnel crossing between platforms,” Harte said.
The regulator is requiring operators—known as dutyholders under UK law—to conduct technical risk assessments on all automatic gangway systems. Control systems must be configured to prevent retraction unless it is confirmed that no personnel are on or near the gangway. Manual overrides must also be assessed to ensure they do not increase the risk to workers.
“A warning by definition is advanced notice that a potentially dangerous event is about to occur,” Harte added. “Audible and/or visual alarms that are triggered at the same time the gangway retracts are not considered to provide adequate warning to enable workers to reach safety.”
Dutyholders are instructed to evaluate gangway design, identify all operating states in which auto-retraction could occur, and verify that systems prevent retraction when personnel are exposed to harm.
The HSE said the notice applies to all offshore sectors where motion-compensated gangways are used and is intended to prevent further incidents through immediate action.
