Step Change in Safety’s Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) met this afternoon (24 August) to discuss the helicopter accident off Shetland on 23 August.  All members expressed their condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who tragically lost their lives and to the survivors.

At present there are no confirmed facts as to the causes of this accident.  As a result, the HSSG, supported by the Step Change in Safety Leadership Team, has taken the precautionary measure of recommending temporary suspension of all Super Puma commercial passenger flights to and from offshore oil and gas installations within the UK.  This does not apply to the use of search and rescue helicopters for emergency response.

The Super Puma series of helicopters includes the following variants; AS332 L, L1, L2 and EC225.  There are significant technical differences between these variants; however, until more is understood on cause of the accident, this cautious approach is appropriate.

HSSG will closely monitor the situation and will only recommend resumption of flights by one or more of the Super Puma variants when it considers that sufficient factual information is available to support the decision.

The next meeting of HSSG will take place on Wednesday 28 August.  Should any significant information come to light before this date, HSSG will immediately convene.

Step Change in Safety will keep the workforce informed of all developments in this matter through the HSSG website.  Questions can be sent to hssg@stepchangeinsafety.net.

Oil & Gas UK has arranged a meeting of oil and gas operators and major contractors on Monday 26 August to discuss the operational implications of the temporary suspension and collaborative action that can be taken minimise the impact on the offshore workforce.

The remit of the Step Change Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) is to work proactively to identify and address cross-industry issues around helicopter safety, related to helicopter operations in the UK oil and gas industry. Helicopter operators, oil and gas operators and contractors, offshore trade unions, the pilots’ union BALPA, the regulators HSE and CAA and Oil & Gas UK are all represented at a senior level on the work group.