Response to N.L chopper safety inquiry coming

The board that regulates Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore oil industry will respond to the recommendations of the offshore helicopter safety inquiry on Monday in St. John's.

The inquiry was established by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board weeks after a Cougar helicopter ferrying oil industry workers offshore crashed on March12, 2009, killing 17 people onboard.

On Nov. 17, inquiry commissioner Robert Wells made 29 recommendations about how to improve offshore helicopter safety.

The retired Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador judge said the most important recommendation was his call for the establishment of an independent body that is solely responsible for offshore helicopter safety.

The petroleum board is responsible for worker safety now.

Wells also discouraged the practice of flying workers to and from offshore platforms at night and encouraged the oil industry to share more information about helicopter transportation with workers.

He also recommended that it should be mandatory for helicopter pilots to wear helmets when flying offshore.