OMAR - The Competent Authority

Since the UK left the EU, the Offshore Major Accident Regulator (OMAR) is now the UK's Offshore Competent Authority (previously known as the Offshore Safety Directive Regulator (OSDR). How HSE regulate the offshore industry stays the same. Our guidance will be updated to reflect this change.

The Offshore Major Accident Regulator (OMAR) is the Competent Authority (CA) responsible for regulating offshore major accident hazards.  OPRED and HSE work in partnership as OMAR to deliver the CA functions.

The role of the CA is to oversee industry compliance with the respective offshore legislation and undertake related functions such as accepting, assessing, approving and/or inspecting relevant Safety Cases, Oil Pollution Emergency Plans, Well Notifications and other notifications. Reporting of incidents are included as are intervention planning and investigation work.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is responsible for implementing offshore environmental legislation. HSE's Energy Division (ED) is responsible for implementing health and safety legislation for offshore oil and gas operations.

OPRED and HSE work closely together under a Memorandum of Understanding (PDF) [31] (MoU) for liaison between the two organisations and their regimes. Examples include a coordinated sign-off procedure for all new exploration and appraisal wells, and joint environmental and safety inspections where this is appropriate. The operational MoU is overseen by a high-level cross-Departmental group.

A Senior Oversight Board governs OMAR, providing organisation and direction, and a forum to agree, implement and monitor arrangements and pursue shared strategic regulatory goals.

Whilst OPRED and HSE will still have separate functions outside the scope of the arrangement, the functions of the CA will be delivered by the relevant sections of OPRED and HSE's ED, under a set of common operational arrangements.

Link URLs in this page

  1. OMARhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/index.htm
  2. Overview - The Competent Authorityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/index.htm
  3. OMAR Governancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/governance.htm
  4. Appeals Processhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/appeals.htm
  5. Freedom of Informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/foi.htm
  6. Enforcement Policieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/enforcement.htm
  7. Cost Recovery Guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/charging.htm
  8. Overview - OMAR Operations and Guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/index.htm
  9. Guidance Regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/guidance-regulations.htm
  10. Design / Relocation Notificationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/design-relocation.htm
  11. Overview - Safety Caseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/safety-cases/index.htm
  12. Safety Case Topic Specialist Assessment Templates and Guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/safety-cases/safety-case-topic-specialist-assessment.htm
  13. Dismantlement Safety Caseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/safety-cases/dismantlement-safety-cases.htm
  14. Oil Pollution Emergency Plans (OPEP)https://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/oil-pollution.htm
  15. Well Notificationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/well-notifications.htm
  16. Combined Operations Notificationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/combined-operations.htm
  17. Thorough Reviewshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/thorough-reviews.htm
  18. Requesting an Exemptionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/requesting-exemption.htm
  19. Investigationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/investigation.htm
  20. Inspectionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/inspection.htm
  21. OMAR Consultation on Licensing and Appointment of Operatorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/guidance/consultation.htm
  22. Overview - Reportinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/reporting/index.htm
  23. Reporting Incidents to OMARhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/reporting/incidents-to-omar.htm
  24. Confidential Reporting to OMARhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/reporting/confidential-reporting.htm
  25. Offshore publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/reporting/offshore-publications.htm
  26. Overview - OMAHAChttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/omahac.htm
  27. Further informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/information.htm
  28. Meetingshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/omahac-papers/index.htm
  29. Membershiphttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/omahac-membership.htm
  30. News and eventshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/news.htm
  31. Memorandum of Understandinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/agency-agreements-memoranda-of-understanding-concordats/assets/docs/opred-hse.pdf
  32. OMAR Governancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/governance.htm
  33. Appeals Processhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/appeals.htm
  34. Freedom of Informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/foi.htm
  35. Enforcement Policieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/enforcement.htm
  36. Cost Recovery Guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/omar/authority/charging.htm

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Updated: 2024-06-12