Workers Compensation Issues in the Oil and Gas Industry

This article examines the provisions of the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 (WA) ('the Act') relevant to the oil and gas industry. The first part of the article outlines a brief history of oil and gas exploration in Australia and identifies working arrangements that are a distinguishing feature of the industry. The second part of the article sets out the criteria for determining who is a worker for the purpose of establishing a claim for compensation. In particular, the article will address issues that are relevant to oil and gas workers engaged as contractors, situated in remote offshore sea based floating locations and subject to fly-in/fly-out arrangements. The aim of this article is to raise awareness of specific issues arising under the Act for workers in the oil and gas industry. The article also identifies areas of risk in relation to employment arrangements and insurance coverage for oil and gas workers that may require attention by employers.