In 1988, the explosion of the Piper Alpha platform claimed 167 lives, making it the world's worst offshore oil disaster. Following this disaster, the U.K. offshore regulatory regime underwent a fundamental reconstruction which was based on the principles of self-regulation and goal-setting. This article argues that there has been no clearly discernable pattern of improvement in terms of offshore incidents since the post-Piper Alpha reforms. The authors attribute this lack of improvement to three principal factors, namely, the lack of effective workforce participation and representation in safety matters, the oil industry's strategic use of “veto points” and, lastly, the failure of the new regulator to police offshore safety and to adequately deter rogue operators.
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