Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971

5 Masters of offshore installations: further provisions

(1) The manager of an offshore installation shall not be absent from the installation at any time when it is manned, except in case of sudden sickness or other cause beyond his control, or for other sufficient reason, and a person failing to comply with this subsection shall be guilty of an offence under this section, and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £400.

(2) Except as otherwise provided by this Act, the manager of an installation shall have in relation to it general responsibility for matters affecting safety, health or welfare or, where connected with safety, health or welfare, the maintenance of order and discipline, and for the discharge of that responsibility shall exercise authority over all persons in or about the installation:

Provided that this subsection shall not extend to any matters for which another person is responsible as master, captain or person in charge of any vessel, aircraft or hovercraft.

(3) If a person subject to the authority of the manager of an offshore installation wilfully disobeys a lawful command given him by the manager in exercise of that authority, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50.

(4) The manager of an offshore installation shall not permit the installation to be used in any manner, or permit any operation to be carried out on or from the installation, if the seaworthiness or stability of the installation is likely to be endangered by its use in that manner, or by the carrying out of that operation or by its being carried out in the manner proposed, and it shall be the duty of the owner of the installation to ensure that the provisions of this subsection are complied with by the installation manager.

If an installation manager or owner fails to comply, or ensure compliance, with this subsection he shall be guilty of an offence under this section, and liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £400,

(b) on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine, or both.

(5) Where at an offshore installation there is an emergency or apprehended emergency endangering the seaworthiness or stability of the installation or otherwise involving a risk of death or serious personal injury, the installation manager may take or require to be taken any such measures as are necessary or expedient to meet or avoid the emergency ; and no regulation or condition having effect by virtue of this Act shall apply to prohibit or restrict the taking of any such measures by virtue of this subsection.

(6) If the installation manager has reasonable cause to believe that it is necessary or expedient for the purpose of securing the safety of an offshore installation or persons in or about it, or maintaining order and discipline among those persons, the installation manager may cause any of those persons to be put ashore in the United Kingdom ; and where any of those persons has done or is about to do any act endangering or likely to endanger the safety of the installation or persons in or about it or the maintenance of order and discipline among those persons, or the installation manager with reasonable cause suspects him of having done or being about to do any such act, the installation manager may take or cause to be taken such other reasonable measures against him, by restraint of his person or otherwise, as the installation manager thinks necessary or expedient:

Provided that this subsection shall not extend to any matters for which another person is responsible as master, captain or person in charge of any vessel, aircraft or hovercraft.

(7) A person shall not be kept under restraint by virtue of subsection (6) above for longer than twenty-four hours unless—

(a) the intention is that he shall be put ashore in the United Kingdom in accordance with that subsection at the earliest opportunity ; and

(b) within those twenty-four hours or as soon as practicable afterwards notice of his being kept under restraint and of the reason for it is sent to the prescribed authority in the United Kingdom.

(8) The manager of an offshore installation shall notify the owner as soon as practicable of any event which occurs at the installation and which the owner is by any regulation or condition having effect by virtue of this Act required to notify to the Secretary of State.

If a person fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection he shall be guilty of an offence under this section, and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100.

(9) The operation of this section may be excluded in whole or in part in relation to any class or description of installation by regulations under this Act, or in relation to any particular installation by directions of the Secretary of State given in such manner and to such persons as he thinks appropriate.