Urgent safety notice issued to highlight risk of fatal falls from offshore gangways

An urgent safety notice has been issued by the Health and Safety Executive to highlight the risks of potentially fatal gangway accidents to offshore workers.

The government body has identified incidents where motion compensated gangways retract without warning due to power failures or control system errors.

Concerns have been raised about workers falling from a height, being struck by moving parts, or suffering serious injuries, including death.

The HSE has called on oil and gas operators and the renewable energy sectors to review their gangway arrangements.

Any gangways which are unable to provide sufficient warning before automatic retraction must be taken out of service until proper safety controls are installed.

Howard Harte, operations manager (Offshore Regulation) at the Health and Safety Executive, said: “Despite a previous safety alert in 2024, and the publication of industry good practice, we have become aware that gangways that provide insufficient warning before auto-retraction are still being used in the offshore oil and gas and renewables industry.

“This safety notice addresses continuing incidents where gangway failures have resulted in unexpected retraction without adequate warning to operators or personnel crossing between platforms. Workers have been left unable to move to safety or brace for sudden movement when systems fail.”

Operators now must conduct technical risk assessments of all automatic gangway functions. The HSE emphasises that adequate warning systems must provide advance notice before dangerous events occur.

Howard added: “A warning by definition is advanced notice that a potentially dangerous event is about to occur.

“The purpose of the warning is to enable persons to make themselves safe before the event occurs. Audible and/or visual alarms that are triggered at the same time the gangway retracts are not considered to provide adequate warning to enable workers to reach safety.”