No further action taken over faulty lifeboat oil rig

Inquiry: Workers were evacuated after issues were found with some boats

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has confirmed it intends to take “no further action” in its probe of the Ninian Southern rig, which had to be down-manned last week amid concerns over faulty lifeboats.

North Sea operator CNR International confirmed a number of essential lifeboats on the platform were not fit for use, prompting a hasty evacuation of nearly 60 workers on Tuesday evening.

“At this time no further action is planned”

However, a spokesman for the HSE said at the weekend: “We have been in contact with CNR and at this time no further action is planned.”

Issues were discovered with two vessels following what CNR said had been “planned essential maintenance on platform lifeboats”.

The firm said the 59 worker evacuations made were a direct result of evidence that “further repairs were needed”.

It is understood the workers evacuated almost a week ago are yet to return to duty on the Ninian Southern, located 240 miles from Aberdeen in the northern North Sea.

The HSE said last week it was “aware and making initial inquiries” into the issue and that while in such a case the offshore inspector “wouldn’t ask the company to downman”, a prohibition notice had been issued and CNR International had taken the decision to down-man itself.

Asked for further details as to if or when lifeboats will be repaired, CNR International chose not to comment.

On the issue of workers returning to duty on the Ninian Southern, it would neither comment nor provide a timeframe for when the rig might be fully manned.

CNR did reveal last week that “as a result” of an issue discovered concerning lifeboats the number of personnel was “proactively reduced to 80 onboard with 59 non-essential personnel returning onshore from the platform” on July 10. The operator said the planned maintenance activities would have no impact to production.

And the firm stressed that “safety is core value at CNR International and all work will be completed safely and effectively before the platform is fully remanned”.

However, the Unite union said last week it had been told certain lifeboats “were not fit for purpose” due to damage to “lifeboat davits and steelwork” and that some would have to be replaced entirely.

DOWN-MANNED: Almost 60 workers were taken off the Ninian Southern oil rig last week amid worries over faults found with lifeboats