Transocean facing 2 charges over 2019 workplace injury
Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore industry regulator has laid two charges against Transocean Canada Drilling Services in relation to a workplace injury aboard the Transocean Barents oil rig nearly three years ago.
The incident happened on Sept. 6, 2019, as workers were preparing the rig for severe weather. An employee was caught between a rail and a 1,400-kilogram steel adapter during crane operations.
An emergency response team provided care on site before a helicopter flew the worker to a hospital in St. John's.
After being treated the worker was released but was later readmitted to hospital for their injuries.
Transocean — a Swiss company under contract to Suncor, which operates the Terra Nova oil field 350 kilometres southeast of St. John's.— suspended drilling. Operations resumed about a month later, when the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board said it was satisfied Suncor has taken corrective measures and had met the conditions necessary to restart.
The C-NLOPB continued to investigate the incident after drilling resumed, and in a statement released Friday alleged Transocean had failed to ensure a crane was operated according to occupational health and safety regulations, and had allowed an employee working as a signaller to do other things while a crane was in motion.
Transocean is due in court in mid October.
