"Open Letters to Buyers and Shipbuilders, Clarifying the Responsibilities at Samsung Heavy Industries Crane Accident", 29 November 2018

NGOs have sent open inquiries to Total E&P Norge, Equinor, Petoro AS, the Technip, as well as to Samsung Heavy Industries to clarify the responsibilities at Samsung Heavy Industries crane accident dated May 1, 2017...

The direct cause of the crane accident was the result of having both the Goliath crane and Jib crane in the confines of one workshop. However, statements by senior officer of Samsung Heavy Industries and other employees of subcontractors given to investigative agencies reflect that this method of working was very unusual and certainly not the prototypical method used in the field...

Additionally, Samsung Heavy Industries did not conduct a preliminary risk assessment despite the fact that the change of the above-mentioned work method was an official emergency procedure. At the time of the accident, buyer Total E&P Norge was required under Norwegian law to have installed a proper set of barriers and conduct barrier management to protect workers during their construction of the Martin Linge platform. To this point, it is still unknown whether or not Total E&P Norge carried out a safety inspection, and, if any, how Total E&P Norge identified the method of working as a risk and carried out the barrier management.

... In sending out these questionnaires, we would like to confirm what kinds of discussions were had as well as what measures were taken in regard to both the installation and operation of the cranes as well as the risk of accident therein. The Worker Support Team will pursue legal and quasi-legal procedures upon receiving and reviewing the questionnaire responses from the previously mentioned companies...