Stena Drilling Offers Condolences to Families of Killed Rig Workers (Australia)

Stena Drilling Limited, the operator of offshore drilling rig Stena Clyde, on which two workers tragically lost their lives on Monday in Australia, has expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.

“Both Stena Drilling Limited and Stena Drilling Australia would like to offer their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends and to all those who have been affected by these very sad events. We will continue to offer help and support as best we can at this difficult time,” said a company in a statement signed by Tom Welo, Stena Drilling Ltd Managing director.

All operations on board the drilling unit remain suspended and secure and both Stena Drilling and the relevant authorities are conducting thorough investigations to establish the exact cause of this tragic incident.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions yesterday issued a media release in which it says that the deaths of two workers on is a tragic reminder of the dangers of the industry, leading unions to renew calls for offshore petroleum workers to be given the same workplace health and safety rights and protections those on dry land.

While investigations are continuing into the circumstances of the deaths, ACTU Assistant Secretary Michael Borowick said it was not appropriate for the offshore petroleum industry to have a different health and safety regime than the rest of the workforce.

“We need to get to the bottom of this tragedy, but unfortunately, unions have been warning for some time that the offshore petroleum industry is an accident waiting to happen,” Borowick said.

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Offshore Energy Today Staff, August 29, 2012