Stakeholders strengthen oil rig safety regulations in T&T

Key stakeholders from government, the energy sector, and labour unions gathered on Monday, September 28, at the Radisson Hotel for a high-level consultation to strengthen the regulatory framework governing oil rig safety across Trinidad and Tobago.

Hosted by the Occupational Safety and Health Authority and Agency (OSHA), the consultation forms a crucial part of ongoing efforts to develop subsidiary legislation for offshore safety under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Chap. 88:08.

Opening the session, OSHA Chairperson Neeala Mongroo emphasised that worker safety must be treated as a fundamental right rather than a mere goal.

“Every worker who leaves home for work has a right to return home safely. That is not an aspiration. It is the most basic measure of whether our safety systems are working,” Mongroo stated.

She noted the unique and high-risk demands of drilling operations, urging industry leaders to focus on prevention and treat near misses as crucial warning signs.

Echoing these concerns, Minister of Labour, Small and Micro Enterprise Development Leroy Baptiste delivered the keynote address, stressing that human life outweighs industrial output.

“At its core, workplace safety is about dignity. It is about affirming that no economic contribution, no production target and no national revenue can ever outweigh the value of a human life,” Baptiste said.

He highlighted the Government’s “Workers’ Agenda”, calling for a decisive shift from a reactive safety posture to a proactive culture of prevention aligned with international standards.

Further technical perspectives were provided by Minister in the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries Ernesto Kesar, who described a drilling rig as a complex, multidisciplinary ecosystem requiring rigorous management.

Meanwhile, Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) President General Ancel Roget urged policy developers to gain direct, first-hand exposure to rig operations.

Describing the new regulations as “vital”, Roget emphasised that practical worker experiences and competent representation must remain central to any enforceable safety framework.