BSEE seeks comment on helicopter safety on fixed offshore facilities

Washington – The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is requesting public feedback until Nov. 24 on how to improve helicopter-related safety on fixed offshore facilities for oil and gas operations on the Outer Continental Shelf.

BSEE published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking in the Sept. 24 Federal Register. The agency is seeking comment on whether it should adjust its regulations with select industry and international standards on the design, construction and maintenance of offshore helidecks, as well as aviation fuel quality, storage and handling.

Recent helicopter crashes at offshore oil and gas facilities have prompted reports from a variety of agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board. Although the Federal Aviation Administration has wide-ranging authority on helicopter-related safety issues, BSEE is primarily responsible for helicopter safety on fixed offshore facilities and the U.S. Coast Guard is primarily responsible for floating offshore facilities.

“We know that transportation accidents account for the majority of fatalities on the OCS, and that helicopter-related accidents are a significant concern,” BSEE Director Brian Salerno said in a press release.