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PHW · Working at height · 2026-05-18

Ensco Offshore UK Limited fined £267,000 after a worker fell through unsecured deck grating and was lost at sea

Aberdeen · Aberdeen Sheriff's Court

What happened

An experienced offshore worker fell through an unsecured deck grating on the Valaris 121 rig and was lost to the North Sea; his body was never recovered. The grating had not been secured to manufacturer specifications, and inspection had failed to verify it was properly clipped down, during deteriorating weather.

Injuries: Fatal; the worker's body was never recovered.

The breach

Sections 3(1) and 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

The sentence

  • Fine: £267,000
HSE inspector

“Had the company taken relatively simple measures to identify and control the underlying risks, it is highly likely the incident would never have occurred.”

What would have prevented it

Deck gratings and other fall-prevention fittings offshore must be verified as correctly secured, not assumed to be, especially before a rig move.

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Source: HSE press release, Offshore firm fined following death of worker on Valaris 121 whose body was never recovered