POEA suspends OFW deployment to 3 firms in deadly 2012 US oil platform blast

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has suspended the deployment of overseas Filipino workers to at least three entities tagged in a US oil platform explosion that killed three Filipinos last year.

POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said the US Interior Department found the three entities had "safety violations" in oil platform operations.

"We suspended deployment of OFWs to three entities for safety violations in oil platform operations per findings of the US Interior Department," he said on his Twitter account late Tuesday.

He did not name the three entities.

But the report of the US Interior Department cited DNR Offshore Crewing Services, which it said was contracted with Grand Isle Shipyard to recruit workers from the Philippines.

The report also said DNR is "headquartered in the Philippines and offers to provide 'competent offshore work force and ship crewing personnel.'”

For its part, Grand Isle Shipyard contracted with Black Elk to provide workers for the construction projects at the WD 32 complex.

The US Interior Department said GIS provides construction services to offshore companies and is headquartered in Galliano, Louisiana.

Also, the report cited Wood Group, which was contracted with Black Elk to manage production operations at the WD 32 complex.

It said Wood Group "provides services to offshore companies, including facility operations and maintenance services" and "operates in over 50 countries and is based in Houston, Texas."

Another entity, Shamrock, was "retained by Black Elk to provide mechanical services at the WD E platform." It is headquartered in Houma, Louisiana and provides services to offshore companies, including production operations.

Still another entity, Compass, was retained by Black Elk to "manage and oversee construction work at the WD 32 complex and to coordinate work among the contractors working at the facility."

It provides "engineering and project management services to oil and gas production facilities, as well as other industrial operations," the report said. — LBG, GMA News

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