BALPA support CAA’s safety measures

At the Scottish TUC Congress in Dundee during the weekend the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) hit back at suggestions by Oil & Gas UK that safety improvements to North Sea helicopter operations might damage North Sea productivity.

Following recent tragic accidents in the North Sea, the Civil Aviation Authority have suggested many changes to operations such as restricting the number of passengers on board helicopters and ensuring all passengers have access to a window or aisle to aide egress in the event of an accident.

However, Oil & Gas UK, the industry’s trade association, has said that these safety improvements could negatively impact maintenance and production.

Jim McAuslan, BALPA General Secretary, said on 12 April, “We have today written to the Chief Executive of the CAA, Andrew Haines, urging him to ensure the CAA Review Board’s recommendations contained in its recent review (CAP1145) are fully implemented and to ask him to challenge backsliding by the oil and gas industry. We have also written to Scotland’s First Minister pressing him not to be held hostage by the large multi-national companies that have a history of setting the agenda.”

[mappress]

April 14, 2014