Five safety incidents have been shared in recent International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) Safety Flashes, including the case of a diver in Brazil who became disabled due to decompression illness.
Revised OPGGS Regulations Now in Effect
New work health and safety regulations for working offshore in Australia came into effect on 12 June 2025, following the 2021 offshore oil and gas safety review.
New work health and safety regulations for working offshore in Australia came into effect on 12 June 2025, following the 2021 offshore oil and gas safety review, led by the Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources. The changes are designed to support industry and NOPSEMA (the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority) to ensure the ongoing health and safety of workers and provide numerous benefits across the sector.
The revised regulations and changes to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 are now in effect, and NOPSEMA has updated critical guidance materials and forms to reflect the changes in the legislation.
Critically, in the new Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Safety) Regulations 2024, Section 2.42 “Periods of incapacitation and notices and reports of accidents and dangerous occurrences” now require the diving supervisor reporting to NOPSEMA for any incidents and dangerous occurrences, not the operator (as was the case before). This is an important change that all offshore supervisors will need to be aware of.
The changes encompass diverse factors of working offshore including:
- Strengthening the role of Health and Safety Representatives
- Workforce health and wellbeing
- Sexual harassment and psychosocial health
- Modernising diving regulations
- Mandatory Design Notification Scheme
- Administration of safety cases
- Operators and titleholders
- Compliance and enforcement
- Vessel Activity Notifications Scheme
- Contact information
Video recordings of NOPSEMA’s monthly information sessions and a frequently asked questions fact sheet can be found in the Offshore Industry – Safety section of the NOPSEMA website (www.nopsema.gov.au/offshore-industry/safety), while general questions can be directed to communications@nopsema.gov.au
NOPSEMA encourages industry to contact them with any questions related to meeting the new regulatory requirements.
This is extracted from an article in the current edition of The Regulator Issue 2 2025, pg. 6. Click here to read the full edition of The Regulator Issue 2 2025
https://www.nopsema.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/The%20Regulator%20Issue%202%202025.pdf
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