Inspection

Properly prioritising inspections is a high priority for HSE in ensuring it delivers its major hazard strategy whilst supporting businesses to grow.

Therefore HSE's Energy Division Offshore aims to ensure its regulatory activity is proportionate to the risks to people, taking into account the operator's performance in controlling risks. This means that ED Offshore will inspect higher hazard installations and operators with poorer performance more frequently and in greater depth than installations and operators where risks are perceived to be better managed. 

HSE's policy is to conduct inspections in accordance with the Enforcement Policy Statement (PDF) [40], applying the principles of the Enforcement Management Model (PDF) [41] to regulatory decision making.

  • Going to the right places.
  • Doing the right things.
  • Finishing what we start.
  • Leaving a clean record of what we have done. 

ED Offshore will prioritise which installations and operators it inspects based on inherent hazards, operator performance, and other intelligence.

Operator performance is judged against criteria set out within the following Inspection Guides:

Link URLs in this page

  1. Offshore oil and gashttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/index.htm
  2. How we workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/how.htm
  3. Offshore health and safety lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/law.htm
  4. Workforce involvementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/workinvolvement.htm
  5. Unconventional oil and gas exploration (shale gas)https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/unconventional-gas.htm
  6. Overview - Offshore topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/topics.htm
  7. Accommodationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/accommodation.htm
  8. Ageinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/ageing/index.htm
  9. Corrosion and materialshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/corrosion-and-materials.htm
  10. Offshore divinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/diving.htm
  11. Electrical and control systemshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/controlsystems.htm
  12. Evacuation, escape and rescue (EER)https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/eer.htm
  13. Fire, explosion and risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assessment.htm
  14. Human factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/humanfactors.htm
  15. International liaisonhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/liaison.htm
  16. Marine and aviationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/marineaviation.htm
  17. Maritime integrityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/maritimeintegrity.htm
  18. Mechanical engineeringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/mechengineering.htm
  19. Occupational healthhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/occupationalhealth.htm
  20. Offshore pipelineshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/pipelines.htm
  21. Process integrityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/processintegrity.htm
  22. Researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/offshoreresearch.htm
  23. Safety caseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/safetycases.htm
  24. Safety management systemshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/managementsystems.htm
  25. Structural integrityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/structuralintegrity.htm
  26. Verificationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/verification.htm
  27. Wellshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/wells.htm
  28. Working timehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/workingtime.htm
  29. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/resources.htm
  30. Overview - Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/publications.htm
  31. Operations noticeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/notices/index.htm
  32. Safety alerts and noticeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/notices/index.htm#safety-alerts
  33. Offshore information sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/infosheets/index.htm
  34. Research reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/researchreports.htm
  35. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/statistics/index.htm
  36. Offshore charging informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/charging.htm
  37. Key programme final reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/programmereports.htm
  38. Offshore Directivehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/directive.htm
  39. Subscribehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/ebulletin/index.htm
  40. Enforcement Policy Statementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse41.pdf
  41. Enforcement Management Modelhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/assets/docs/emm.pdf
  42. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Thorough Review Process and Summarieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/assets/docs/thorough-review-inspection-guide.pdf
  43. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Active Fire Protectionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-active-fire-protection.pdf
  44. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Asbestos Managementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/asbestos-management.pdf
  45. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Audit, Monitoring and Reviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-audit-monitoring-review.pdf
  46. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Aviation (Helideck Operations)https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/aviation-helideck-operations-inspection-guide.pdf
  47. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Control of Workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-control-of-work.pdf
  48. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - COSHHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-offshore-inspection-guide-coshh.pdf
  49. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Cyber security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS)https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-cyber-security.pdf
  50. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Divinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-offshore-diving-inspection-guide.pdf
  51. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Emergency Response – Version 3 October 2023https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-evacuation-escape-rescue.pdf
  52. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Functional Safety Inspection Guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/functional-safety-inspection-guide.pdf
  53. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Health Risk Managementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-offshore-inspection-guide-health-risk-management.pdf
  54. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Ionising radiationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-offshore-inspection-guide-ionising-radiation.pdf
  55. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Loss of stability and positioninghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-loss-of-stability-and-positioning.pdf
  56. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Loss of containment (LoC) - Version 2 March 2018https://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/assets/docs/inspection-of-loss-of-containment.pdf
  57. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Maintenance managementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-maintenance-management.pdf
  58. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Marine Operationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-offshore-inspection-guide-marine-operations.pdf
  59. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Mechanical handling and crane operationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-mechanical-handling-and-crane-operations.pdf
  60. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Noise and vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-noise-vibration.pdf
  61. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Offshore Human Factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-human-factors.pdf
  62. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Offshore Pipeline Integrity Management (Issue 2)https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/pipelines-integrity-management-inspection.pdf
  63. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Operational Risk Assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-operational-risk-assessment.pdf
  64. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - SECE Management & Verification - Version 2 March 2020https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-sece-management-and-verification.pdf
  65. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Structural integrityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/structural-integrity-inspection-guide.pdf
  66. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Temporary Refuge Integrityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-temporary-refuge-integrity.pdf
  67. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Water Managementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-offshore-inspection-guide-water-management.pdf
  68. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Wells personnel competency management system – Issue 6https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-well-competence.pdf
  69. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Well control - Issue 6https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-well-control.pdf
  70. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Well examination scheme - Issue 4https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-well-examination.pdf
  71. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Well integrity (operate phase)https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-well-integrity.pdf
  72. ED Offshore Inspection Guide - Workforce Engagementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/ed-offshore-inspection-guide-workforce-engagement.pdf
  73. Offshore publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/publications.htm
  74. Research reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/researchreports.htm
  75. Offshore statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/statistics/index.htm
  76. Diving micrositehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/diving/index.htm
  77. Pipelines micrositehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pipelines/index.htm
  78. Electricity micrositehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/index.htm
  79. Carbon capture and storage micrositehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/carboncapture/index.htm
  80. Regulating major hazards micrositehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/regulating-major-hazards/index.htm
  81. Safety bulletinhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/index.htm
  82. HSE Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/index.htm
  83. Science and researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/research/index.htm
  84. Charging activitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/charging/index.htm
  85. Health and safety statisticsfile:///J%7C/website/livelive/statistics/index.htm
  86. International Regulators Forumhttp://www.irfoffshoresafety.com/
  87. Institution of Occupational Safety and Healthhttp://www.iosh.co.uk/

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

ED
Energy Division
Updated 2024-09-17