Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment

HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK (NORTHERN IRELAND) ORDER 1978

OFFSHORE, AND PIPELINES, SAFETY (NORTHERN IRELAND) ORDER 1992

Notice is hereby given that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in exercise of the powers conferred on it by the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 and the Offshore, and Pipelines, Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1992, has made Regulations entitled “The Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007” (S.R. 2007 No. 247).

The Regulations revoke the Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 (S.R. 1993 No. 221).

The Regulations improve the regulation and control of major hazards offshore by strengthening the safety case regime. Specifically, the Regulations:

(i)	replace three-year safety case re-submissions with five-yearly thorough reviews;
(ii)	introduce new duties for licensees to take safety into account when appointing an operator;
(iii)	replace some safety cases with notifications, removing some existing safety case particulars and making some others better focused;
(iv)	replace the requirement to demonstrate major accident risks are “as low as is reasonably practicable” with a demonstration that such risks are identified and relevant statutory provisions are complied with;
(v)	introduce a new fallback power directing the duty holder to revise a safety case;
(vi)	introduce a statutory right of appeal against regulatory decisions to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment; and
(vii)	provide for general updating throughout and consequential amendments to related Regulations.

In addition, the Regulations make a small amendment to the Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 (S.R. 1995 No. 345) (PFEER) to clarify that rescue and recovery arrangements should always include external parties, such as coastguard and helicopter support.

The Great Britain Health and Safety Executive publication entitled “A guide to the Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations 2005” (L30) (ISBN 0-7176-6184-9) has been endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland for use with the Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007.

The Regulations come into operation on 21st May 2007.

Copies of the Regulations may be purchased from The Stationery Office Bookshop, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast BT1 4GD.

ISBN:978 0 337 96499 7 £6.50net.