Reporting of safety zone infringements

Introduction

This notice provides guidance for reporting infringements of the 500 metre safety zone around offshore installations to the Health and Safety Executive. Reports should be made on form OIR13. Completed forms should be sent to the addresses listed on the form.

Form OIR13

Background

Points to consider when completing the form:

• Wherever possible screenshots or photographs of electronic charts showing the position of the infringing vessel relative to the installation and the extremity of the safety zone should be provided.
• When taking a screenshot or photograph of an electronic chart make sure the infringing vessel is identifiable by name, IMO number and/or any other means of identification. If possible, also show the name or number of the installation being infringed, particularly if it is a subsea installation and there are other subsea installations in the immediate area.
• Include own vessel data in the photograph or screenshot such as time (GMT) and position.
• Include the electronic trail showing the infringing vessels progress through the safety zone. If this is not possible take a series of screenshots showing the vessel approach and pass through the safety zone.
• Wherever possible for infringements of installations with persons onboard, provide photographs showing the infringing vessel in the foreground and the installation in the background. Attach a copy of the photograph to the OIR13 and state the time and date the photograph was taken, and the name of the person who took the photograph
• For incidents in Scottish waters the OIR13 must include at least two witness statements as required by Scottish law, as the evidence of one witness, however credible, is not sufficient to establish that an offence has occurred.

Recording of ‘near miss’ incidents

Cases may occur where vessels are seen taking successful action to avoid a possible infringement. It may be advisable to record such cases but they should, in normal circumstances, only be reported if an infringement subsequently occurs (OIR13), or it is deemed there was a potential collision using the ROGI report form.

This guidance is issued by the Offshore Major Accident Regulator (OMAR). Following the guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance as illustrating good practice.