Valaris Fined for Rig Worker's Fatal Fall Through Hole in Deck Grating
A court in Aberdeen, Scotland has fined rig operator Valaris a total of $385,000 for the death of a worker who fell through a hole left by a missing deck grating.
On January 22, 2023, the rig Valaris 121 was under tow towards Dundee, Scotland in worsening weather and 15-foot waves. Jason Thomas, 50, was the deck supervisor during the day shift. At about 1430 hours he was seen in the staff lounge on break, departing about half an hour later. When last seen, he had a cup of coffee and his phone, and he was planning to go reinstall a lifebuoy that had come loose from a bracket in the rough conditions outside. At some point thereafter, he disappeared.
At 1600, a worker in the rig's deckhouse heard a loud noise out on deck and went out to check. He found a dislodged deck grating and an open space between the deck's framing beneath, with only the turbulent waters of the North Sea below.
Mr. Thomas could not be located on board, and at 2100 hours, the rig's managers reported him missing to HM Coastguard, which launched a search. The SAR effort was not successful; given the prevailing conditions and odds of survival, the search was called off on January 23.
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An investigation by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) determined that the polymer grating's fasteners had been dislodged by the force of wave action, displacing the grating and creating a hole that Thomas likely stepped through. After the finding, operator Ensco (later acquired by Valaris) conducted a fleet-wide replacement of all polymer grating on its rigs, opting for galvanized steel grating instead.
"Jason Thomas was an experienced offshore worker who lost his life in the most unimaginable way possible. The fact his body was never found resulted in great anguish to his mother, who has also since died," said HSE inspector Steven Hanson Hall in a statement. "Had the company taken relatively simple measures to identify and control the underlying risks, particularly during the rig move, it is highly likely the incident would never have occurred."
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