NOPSEMA updates guidance on safety case content and level of detail

NOPSEMA recently updated an important guidance note regarding safety cases as part of push to clarify expectations.

As a result, the “Safety case content and level of detail” guideline regarding the application of standards under Regulation 2.7 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Safety) Regulations now includes the following text:

“Specified or listed standards have been (or will be) applied in their entirety (for operations and design), without exception, unless specifically stated otherwise in the safety case. In such cases, the deviation from the standard should also be justified, to demonstrate that safety risks are reduced to a level that is as low as reasonably practicable.”

This update has been made after NOPSEMA inspectors observed some operators deviating from aspects of the standards specified in their safety case without written justification or risk assessment.

Operators are expected to follow the standards specified in their safety case without deviation, unless there a reasonable and risk-assessed justification to do so is also provided.

Standards generally represent current industry good practice in the context for which they are written. By consensus, industry accepts these standards contribute to reducing safety risk to a level that is as low as reasonably practical (ALARP).

For more information see the “Safety case content and level of detail” guidance note.