Guideline

RoleofworkforceandOperatorinPlannedInspection

Introduction

This guideline sets out the expectations of NOPSEMA on members of the workforce and the operator
during planned inspection of facilities, pipelines and activities under the Offshore Petroleum and
GreenhouseGasStorageAct2006.Plannedinspectionsareacriticalexaminationofaspectsofafacility,
its systems and operations against information obtained from the facility safety case, or diving safety
managementsystem,andtherelevantlegislation.Informationwillalsobetakenfromothersourcessuch
asincidentnotificationsandinvestigations,pastinspectionsandaudits.
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ScopeofthisGuideline

Allpersonnelneedtobeawareandhaveanunderstandingofwhattheirrolesandresponsibilitiesarein
relationtothemanagementofsafety,thesafetymanagementsystemandthespecificsafetycontrolson
theirfacility.
This guideline covers the participation of the operator and members of the workforce in planned
inspectionactivities.
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RoleofMembersoftheWorkforceinPlannedInspection

The workforce of the facility, including contractors play an important role during planned inspection, in
particular in providing information to the inspection team. Members of the workforce may have the
followingrolesduringinspection:

Provideinformationtotheinspectionteaminresponsetospecificrequests

Answeranyquestionsposedbytheinspectionteam

Accompanytheinspectionteamwhileatthefacility

Demonstrateequipmentoperationorotherprocedurestotheinspectionteam

Showtheinspectionteamselecteditemsofphysicalplantandequipment

It is important to note that participation by members of the workforce in planned inspection is at the
requestoftheinspectionteam.InrelationtoHealthandSafetyRepresentatives(HSRs),theyhavearight
toaccompanyanOHSinspectorduringanyinspectionattheworkplaceforthepurposeofpromotingor
ensuringthehealthandsafetyoftheirdesignatedworkgroup.
Members of the workforce and HSRs are not involved in any decisionmaking regarding planned
inspectionfindingsorconclusions.
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RequirementsofOperators

Operators need to understand the role and purpose of planned inspection. Planned inspection is a
sampled verification of the contents of the safety case, and/or diving safety management system and
divingprojectplansacceptedbyNOPSEMA,aswellasverificationthatlegislativerequirementsarebeing
met. This is critical to ensure that operators understand the distinction between assessment of
documented commitment in the safety case and verification of operator commitments through
inspection.
NOPSEMAhasseveralrequirementsoftheoperatortoensureaneffectiveandefficientinspection:

Availability of necessary personnel to provide information relative to inspection elements,

including onshore management to meet with the inspection team prior to and after the

Revision:4
RevisionDate:28August2013

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NationalOffshorePetroleumSafety andEnvironmental Management Authority

Reference:N02100GL0047
ObjectiveID:A15479

RoleofWorkforceandOperatorinPlannedInspection
inspection.Thismustbesupportedbytheidentificationofakeycontactwhohastheauthorityto
facilitateavailabilityofpersonnel.

HSRsfromtheareasofthefacilitywheretheinspectionisoccurring,areavailabletospendtime
withtheinspectionandattendentryandexitmeetings

Accesstorelevantdocumentationandrecordsasrequiredbytheinspectionteam

Accesstothefacility(accompaniedbyfacilityrepresentatives)

Provisionofameetingroomorofficewithadeskfortheinspectionteamforthedurationofthe
inspectionactivities

Anysiteinductionrequirementstobemadecleartotheinspectionteampriortothevisitsothat
suitablearrangementscanbemade

TheLeadinspectorfortheinspectionshouldadvisetheoperatoroftheserequirements,intheformofthe
InspectionBrief,priortocommencinginspectionactivities.

RelatedDocuments

N02100PL0025InspectionsandAudits
N02100SOP0291ConductingPlannedInspection

Revision:4
RevisionDate:28August2013

Page2 of2
NationalOffshorePetroleumSafety andEnvironmentalManagement Authority

Reference:N02100GL0047
ObjectiveID:A15479