Health and Safety in Employment (Petroleum Exploration and Extraction) Regulations 1999

17 Management of particular hazards in well-drilling operations
  • An employer must take all practicable steps to—

    • (a) ensure the primary pressure containment system is not made inoperative without alternative methods of controlling the well pressure being available:

    • (b) supervise the well-drilling operation when the primary pressure containment system is inoperative:

    • (c) ensure that each well-drilling operation can be clearly identified:

    • (d) ensure access is maintained to a well-drilling operation or a well at all times, so that the operation or well may be properly maintained or abandoned:

    • (e) prevent unauthorised access to any hazardous part of a well-drilling operation, including any well-heads or drilling ponds:

    • (f) provide adequate blow-out prevention equipment to enable the well to be shut in:

    • (g) ensure blow-out prevention equipment is tested to ensure that it is adequate for the purpose for which it is installed, and that it is tested and maintained to ensure the equipment remains operational at all times:

    • (h) ensure blow-out prevention equipment is not removed without appropriate action being undertaken to ensure the safety of the well-drilling operations.