Norway’s offshore union, Industri Energi (IE), believes that oil services company Subsea 7 operates with diver contracts that violate the Norwegian Working Environment Act.

Namely, in January this year, Industri Energi carried out an inspection on Subsea 7’s diving vessel Seven Falcon in Haugesund, Norway, and found what it believes to be illegal work contracts.

IE claims that staffing agency in Singapore for divers on work contracts with Subsea 7 does not have protection against discrimination, no clear lines in HSE issues and lack of rights in care and parental leave.

According to IE, the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), which was notified about this three months ago, has not yet reviewed the case, and can not say whether the findings of the foreign work contracts to divers of Seven Falcon were not in agreement with Norwegian conditions.

“We urge the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority to react on this, as they have the supervisory authority over the Norwegian work environmental act in petroleum activity on the Norwegian Continental Shelf,” says IE’s Ommund Stokka.

The Seven Falcon is marketed as one of the most advanced diving vessels in the world, featuring a 24-man twin bell saturation diving system operationally rated to 300 meters.

Subsea World News Staff