A tragic incident in the North Sea has highlighted the critical importance of risk assessment and workplace safety, even for tasks that are often considered routine.
In November 2025, Lee Hulse, a 32-year-old worker on the Valaris 121 jack-up drilling rig, fell more than 80ft (24m) to his death after stepping onto a fragile section of flooring in the crane cab. A section of grating had been removed during cleaning, leaving an exposed fragile surface. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the cleaning activity was not carried out, and an improvement notice has since been issued to the operator, Ensco Offshore UK Ltd (trading as Valaris).
This incident is a stark reminder that every task, no matter how routine it seems, carries risk.
The Incident: What Happened
The fatal fall occurred when Mr. Hulse stepped onto the crane cab floor after cleaning operations had removed part of the grating. The floor was not designed to support weight in this area, and the worker fell through, sustaining fatal injuries.
Key points from the HSE investigation include:
- The grating had been removed during routine cleaning.
- No specific risk assessment for this non-routine task was carried out.
- The exposed area created a fragile surface hazard, which was not clearly marked or restricted.
- The incident highlights how seemingly low-risk tasks can result in serious injury or death if controls are inadequate.
Why This Matters for Your Business
Many businesses focus their health and safety efforts on obvious high-risk tasks such as lifting operations, machinery use, or working at height. While these are important, this incident demonstrates that non-routine or “low-risk” tasks, including cleaning and maintenance, must also be properly assessed.
Consider:
- Are temporary changes to equipment or work areas formally risk-assessed?
- Do your teams understand that even routine tasks can become hazardous if conditions change?
- Are fragile surfaces, access points, or other hidden hazards clearly identified and protected?
Failing to address these questions leaves businesses open to serious incidents, HSE enforcement, and reputational damage.
Lessons Learned
From this tragic incident, there are several lessons all businesses can take:
- Risk Assess All Tasks, Even Routine Ones
Every activity should be evaluated for hazards. Tasks that are considered simple or routine are often overlooked, yet they can present serious risks when conditions change. - Fragile Surfaces Must Be Managed
If flooring, grating, or other surfaces are removed or compromised, they should be clearly marked, isolated, or covered with protective measures until the task is complete. - Communication and Supervision Are Key
Workers should be briefed on any changes to the work environment. Supervisors must ensure that temporary hazards are effectively controlled. - Non-Routine Work Requires Additional Controls
Even cleaning or maintenance tasks can create unexpected hazards. Businesses must identify and plan for these before work begins.
How Acreditsafe Can Help
At Acreditsafe, we work with businesses across construction, offshore, and utilities sectors to ensure all work activities are properly risk-assessed and controlled. Our services include:
- Risk assessments for routine and non-routine tasks
- Method statements and safe systems of work
- Training programs to improve hazard awareness
- Audit and inspection services to ensure compliance with HSE regulations
Don’t wait for a tragic incident to highlight gaps in your safety processes. Ensuring all tasks, even the “simple” ones, are properly assessed can save lives and protect your business.
Conclusion
The death of Lee Hulse on the Valaris 121 rig is a sobering reminder that no task is too small to carry risk. Businesses must treat all work with the respect it deserves, and risk assessments should be living documents that reflect real-world conditions.
If your business needs support with risk assessments, method statements, or general health and safety compliance get in touch.
Read the full BBC article here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn7jp7y6d53o