Canada Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board Response to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

17/03/2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we want to assure everyone that the health and safety of our employees and the offshore work force is and will remain our top priority while we continue our regulatory oversight of operators offshore. We have activated the following measures:

  • CNSOPB Employees - All of our employees have been transitioned to work from home to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and all non-essential travel has been cancelled.
     
  • Regulatory Oversight - We remain committed to fulfilling our mandate and are having daily calls with operators as we continue to monitor this situation. While we are working from home, we are still fully operational and can be reached through our normal contact information at 902-422-5588 or info@cnsopb.ns.ca. To reach a Duty Officer, for immediate notifications or for emergencies: 902-496-4444.
     
  • Offshore Operations - At this time, offshore decommissioning operations continue. Operators have appropriate plans in place that include additional screening measures to reduce risk for offshore workers. This starts the moment they are placed on a manifest to travel offshore prior to arriving. When workers arrive at the airport a second screening questionnaire and temperature scan is completed by a medic before anyone is permitted to go offshore. Once employees are offshore, Operators have implemented additional monitoring procedures for workers onboard offshore platforms and supply vessels. We recognize that things are evolving rapidly with COVID-19 and are in daily contact with operators to be able to respond immediately about decisions that need to be made to protect offshore workers.
     
  • Operator Communication - We are requiring operators in the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area to increase employee communications so that our offshore workforce knows what is happening and what measures are in place to protect them.

We recognize that things are changing rapidly. We are in daily contact with the Government of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia and are monitoring the daily updates from the Federal and Provincial Chief Medical Officers so that we are making informed decisions. We also remain engaged and in daily contact with our sister Board, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board to ensure both organizations are fully supported in any decisions that need to be made.

We will continue to update our website and twitter account as further information is available and as the situation in our Offshore Area changes.

For any information on COVID-19, please see the following links:

Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html
Government of Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus
Government of Canada toll-free information line 1-833-784-4397
Nova Scotia Public Health offices: http://www.nshealth.ca/public-health-offices

Stacy O’Rourke
Director, Communications
Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board
1791 Barrington Street
8th Floor TD Centre
Halifax, NS  B3J 3K9
Cell - (902) 410-6402
Reception - (902) 422-5588
Fax - (902) 422-1799
Twitter  @CNSOPB  
sorourke@cnsopb.ns.ca