A warning has been issued to North Sea oil and gas companies about a potential safety risk affecting the deck gratings used on many offshore platforms.
The Health and Safety Executive says the fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) structures could be weakened if exposed to extreme heat. In the event of a hydrocarbon fire or similar, they would no longer support people walking over them – although they would still look safe.
Firms have been advised to identify whether the gratings are used in areas where they may be exposed to hydrocarbon fires. If so, they must be able to establish that they will remain safe for use.
Last night, Jake Molloy, of the RMT union’s offshore branch, said there was no cause for alarm.
“The report quotes fires that reach temperatures of 1,100C, but there would be nobody within 100 miles of such a fire. I do not see this as a major safety issue and it would need to be a bad day at the office for these circumstances to happen.”
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