09/15/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/15/2021 10:14
NEW ORLEANS - The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement recently concluded two weeks of performance-based risk inspections offshore and compiled 15 findings and associated recommendations focused on dropped object prevention programs, hazard hunts, cargo and pipe handling, and associated training programs.
BSEE inspectors visited 20 different facilities between June 1 and June 11. BSEE engineers, inspectors, and Safety and Environmental Management System specialists scrutinized the extensive inspection data, compiled the findings, conclusions, and associated recommendations and shared them with the participating operators, safety organizations and through a BSEE Safety Alert.
Among the 15 findings and conclusions BSEE found that:
BSEE also recommended operators and contractors:
Added in March 2018, PBRIs are one of two components that make up BSEE's Risk-Based Inspection Program. The second is the Facility Based Risk Inspection, which focuses on risk at a specific facility, whereas PRBIs focus on reducing the likelihood of events and compliance issues on the entire Outer Continental Shelf.
'Risk-based inspections are a vital component of BSEE's overall inspection program, ensuring safe and environmentally sustainable operations offshore,' said BSEE Gulf of Mexico Region Director Lars Herbst. 'These risk-based inspections focus on specific high-risk operations and help reduce the likelihood of future incidents on the Outer Continental Shelf.'
The RBI program supplements the annual inspection program and allows BSEE the opportunity to be more targeted in reducing offshore operational dangers. By focusing on higher risk facilities and operations, BSEE can more efficiently and effectively manage inspection resources. The program employs a systematic approach, using both a quantitative risk model as well as subjective performance and risk related intelligence information to identify higher-risk facilities or operations on which to focus inspections and resources.
Conducted at least quarterly, BSEE has performed 11 performance-based risk inspections and 13 facility-based risk inspections since 2018.
Overall, the objective and scope of the BSEE risk-based inspection program is to assist BSEE with the development of inspection tasks and techniques to enhance its focus on offshore oil and gas facilities that exhibit a number of distinguishing risk factors, to minimize redundant inspection efforts and cost, and to encourage continuous improvements in risk management for offshore operations.
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† Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement inspectors Gabe Orellana (left) and Tim Boudreaux assess the integrity of the man-riding winch and cables for suspending personnel in a derrick on an offshore platform drilling rig Friday, June 11. Orellana and Boudreaux are part of a team of inspectors and engineers conducting performance-based risk inspections on 20 different facilities to focus on dropped object prevention, hazard hunts, cargo and pipe handling, and associated training programs.
‡ Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement engineer Max Carrier verifies that the headache ball hook safety pin / latch was intact in adequate condition during a performance-based safety inspection on an offshore platform drilling rig Friday, June 11. Carrier is part of a team of engineers and inspectors conducting performance-based risk inspections on 20 different facilities to focus on dropped object prevention, hazard hunts, cargo and pipe handling, and associated training programs.