The legislation places the onus on operating oil companies to ensure the health and safety of all persons working in connection with petroleum activities in the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area.

In order to oversee Operators’ efforts in this regard, the Safety Department has an established safety assessment process to review Operators’ applications in a systematic manner prior to the Board issuing a work authorization. This process considers the safety of the activity as a whole and its component parts including the installation, its facilities, personnel and procedures. This process also provides confidence that each Operator has an appropriate system in place to manage risk to personnel both from major hazards and from day to day occupational hazards. As part of the safety assessment process, Safety Officers may visit installations or vessels to conduct a safety audit or safety inspection.

The Department conducts safety assessments of the following petroleum activities:

• Production Operations
• Production Development (e.g. construction of glory holes, pipe laying, etc. on a production field)
• Drilling Operations
• Well Operations
• Diving Operations
• Geophysical Operations

Declaration of Fitness

As required by the legislation, prior to the Board issuing an authorization, the Operator must attest that the equipment and facilities to be used during their program are fit for purpose, the operating procedures relating to them are appropriate, the personnel employed are qualified and competent for their respective responsibilities and will continue to be so throughout the duration of the work authorization.

As part of the application process, Operators must demonstrate how they have ensured these requirements have been met and they must demonstrate how the above requirements will continue to be met for the duration of their program. If the Board is not satisfied with the Operator’s demonstration of the above, the Board will not approve the Operator’s application to do the work.

The Board has prescribed the Declaration of Fitness form. This declaration is signed by the Operator’s representatives accountable for the work authorization program.