Safety Alerts

NOPSEMA provides brief reports on safety improvement issues arising from its investigative and assessment activities. These are issued as individual Safety Alerts which may be viewed from the index below.

To subscribe to delivery of the Safety Alerts by email, send an email request to communications@nopsema.gov.au

NOPSEMA periodically reviews safety alerts from other jurisdictions and, where appropriate, highlights timely lessons with supporting commentary on drawn from these identified sources.

50   Bypassing storage tank features
Issued 19/8/2011 PDF : 327 kB

49   Electrical equipment for use in hazardous areas
Issued 19/8/2011 PDF : 143 kB

48   Tube Compression Fitting Failure
Issued 3/6/2011 PDF : 143 kB

47   Lifeboats - Routine Inspection and Maintenance
Issued 13/05/2011 PDF : 186 kB

46   Diver Safety - HP Water Jetting Operations
Issued 11/04/2011 PDF : 186 kB

Technical Safety Bulletin: Functional Safety in the Australian Offshore Petroleum Industry
Issued 14 March 2011 PDF : 410 kB

This Technical Safety Bulletin provides additional guidance on Functional Safety following the issue of Alert 45.

45   Functional Safety of Control Systems
Issued 21/12/2010 PDF : 23 kB

44   Diver Safety - Nitrox Generator Use
Correction: NOPSEMA would like to advise that a minor amendment has been made to Safety Alert #44. The term "downstream" has replaced "upstream" in the first bullet point under the heading 'Key lessons'.
Issued 17/12/2010; Amended 24/02/2011 PDF : 64 kB

43   Malware Threat to Industrial Control Systems
Issued 01/10/2010 PDF : 24 kB

42   Hot Work Leads to Fire
Issued 30/8/2010 PDF : 67 kB

41   Increase in Hydrocarbon Releases
Issued 30/07/2010 PDF : 98 kB

40   Risk of fire from inverter drives
Issued 29/04/2010 PDF : 180 kB

39   Compressor Failure - Subsequent Fire on Facility
Issued 15/04/2010 PDF : 300 kB 

38   Manriding Incident - Carabiner Failure
Issued 24/03/2010 PDF : 300 kB 

37   Boiler Furnace Explosions
Issued 24/03/2010 PDF : 300 kB 

36   Gangway Failure
Issued 24/02/2010 PDF : 65 kB 

35   Impact of Sea-State on Lifting Operations
Issued 28/01/2010 PDF : 1.88MB 

34   Bulkhead and Deck Fires
Issued 31/12/2009 PDF : 83kB 

33   Hazardous Area Electrical Equipment
Issued 30/10/2009 PDF : 171kB 

32   Maintaining Clear Walkways and Escape Routes
Issued 11/1/2010 PDF : 1.3 MB 

31   Lifting Hook Warning
Issued 12/05/2009 PDF : 193kB 

30   Quality Variations in Pipe Components of Duplex Steel
Issued 24/04/2009 PDF : 24kB 

29   Crane overhead windows - dropped object protection
Issued 14/04/2009 PDF : 143kB 

28   Failure to avoid a cyclone
Issued 10/02/2009  PDF : 121kB

27   Dangers of Deep Vein Thrombosis
Issued 19/01/2009 PDF : 104kB

26   Maintaining well-test flow lines
Issued 14/04/2009  PDF: 86kB

25   Tensioner Failure
Issued 31/10/2008  PDF : 42kB PDF

24   Use of Utility Systems for Process Duties
Issued 31/10/2008  PDF : 23kB PDF

23   Engine Room Fire on MODU in Australian waters
Issued 24/09/2008  PDF : 29kB PDF

22   Diver Safety
Issued 24/09/2008  PDF : 20kB PDF

21   Risks in facility build quality and project handover
Issued 22/08/2008  PDF : 31kB PDF

20   Risks from Electric Hand Tools

Issued 22/04/2008 PDF : 24kB

Information Sheet  240V hand tool risks

Issued 27/02/2009 PDF : 24kB

19   Dropped Blocks
Issued 28/2/2008  PDF : 104kB 

18   Crane Operations - Dropped Tongs
Issued 21/11/2007

17   Engine Room Fire
Issued 02/11/2007  PDF : 104kB 

16   Control of Ignition Sources
Issued 15/10/2007  PDF : 55kB 

15   Broken Arm While Using Drill Press
Issued 31/8/2007  PDF : 55kB 

14   Fast Rescue Craft Safety
Issued 26/07/2007  PDF : 161kB 

13   Failure to Follow Safe Systems of Work (MoC & QA/QC)
Issued 25/07/2007  PDF : 60kB 

12   Failure to Follow Safe Systems of Work (PTW)
Issued 23/02/2007  PDF : 54kB 

11   Potential Man-overboard Hazards - Jettison Skids
Issued 07/02/2007  PDF : 125kB 

10   Lifeboat (TEMPSC) Davit Winch Motor Brake Failure
Issued 29/11/2006  PDF : 58kB 

09   Shut Down Valve Failure
Issued 10/11/2006  PDF : 60kB 

08   Pistol Grip Crane Hooks
Issued 19/06/2006  PDF : 58kB 

07   Hydrocarbon Gas Release Incident
Issued 26/04/2006  PDF : 58kB 

06   Fatigue
Issued 21/12/2005  PDF : 59kB 

05   Inspection and maintenance of lifeboats
Issued 12/10/2005  PDF : 65kB 

04   Incidents - Start Up and Commissioning
Issued 23/09/2005  PDF : 61kB 

03   Compressor Overpressure Incident - Near Miss
Issued 08/08/2005  PDF : 63kB 

02   Laundry Operations
Issued 29/07/2005  PDF : 218kB 

01   Man-riding Near Miss
Issued 08/02/2005  PDF : 206kB 

Selected Topics 

NOPSEMA periodically reviews safety alerts from other jurisdictions and, where appropriate, highlights timely lessons with supporting commentary on selected topics drawn from these identified sources.

04   Watertight Doors - marine safety alert
Issued by the US Coast Guard November 2008

03   Recommended restriction for the use of GES40 and GES40MB free fall lifeboats due to wind loads
Issued by OLF Norway February 2008

02   The Thorough Examination and Inspection of Offshore Cranes
Issued by UK HSE September 2002

01   Single Line Components in Crane Systems
Issued by UK HSE February 2005