Offshore fatality figures are misleading

The Amicus section of general union Unite, which represents offshore workers, has called for health and safety figures to be combined and released in a more open and honest fashion.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report on offshore safety statistics last month recorded two deaths in the year to March 2007. But Unite says there were 11 other fatalities during that period, which were reported as “maritime and aviation– statistics.

“In October we lost four lives when the Meridian vessel sank whilst on duty for an oil operator, and a further seven lives were lost when a helicopter ditched off Morecambe Bay when transporting oil and gas workers,– explained regional officer Graham Tran.

Arguing that “nothing is to be gained– by producing misleading statistics, he added: “These incidents have happened, lessons have to be learned and the facts have to be in the public arena.–