§ 40:1486.2 — State participation in and promotion of transportation of oil and gas workers over

Louisiana § 40:1486.2

• Jurisdiction: Louisiana
• Title 40: Public Health and Safety

Text

§1486.2. State participation in and promotion of transportation of oil and gas workers over
water
A. The director of aviation ("DA") of the aviation section of the Department of
Transportation and Development ("DOTD") shall request membership to the Helicopter
Safety Advisory Conference ("HSAC"), attend regularly scheduled meetings of HSAC for
the purpose of education, understanding, and dissemination of information developed for the
purpose of the promotion of safety through cooperation, and encourage all operators who
provide over water flight services to the oil and gas industry to adopt and incorporate the
recommended practices of HSAC into their daily operations.
B. The DA or his designated representative may attend and secure all writings in the
form of recommended practices that result from HSAC conferences that relate to safe over
water helicopter operations, and disseminate such writings in such a way that over water
flight service providers in the state or adjacent to its shores are made aware of its content.
C. Among considerations for helicopter safety in over water flight services in the oil
and gas industry, the DA or his designated representative may identify, evaluate, and
maintain current knowledge of available feasible technology for all of the following:
(1) Personal locator beacons ("PLBs") capable of transmitting a digital coded distress
signal and a permanent homing signal suitable for use in over water flight services utilized
in the oil and gas industry.
(2) Incorporation into the daily operations of all Part 91, Part 133 and Part 135
operators, a system for satellite tracking of helicopters conducting over water flights,
including maintaining a command center to monitor the status of such flights.
(3) Improvement of flight safety over water services by adoption of emerging
advances in aviation. The DA or his designated representative shall also promote
enhancements of required pre-flight briefings that maximize passenger awareness of
passenger safety, and emergency procedures. Where appropriate, the DA shall provide
information and recommendations to HSAC for consideration of recommended practices for
industry use of such systems and devices.
D. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any aircraft used to
transport offshore platform workers to and from the platform shall require each person being
transported to wear a life jacket equipped with a personal locator beacon, as described in
Paragraph (C)(1) of this Section.
E. The DA or his designated representative shall maintain familiarity with all Part
91, Part 133, and Part 135 regulations promulgated by the FAA pertaining to over water
helicopter operations and may obtain and review all advisory circulars of the FAA that relate
to such over water helicopter operations in the state or adjacent to its shores issued under
those parts of the Federal Aviation Regulations ("FAR"). Where appropriate, the DA or his
designated representative shall promote the adherence to the regulations and adoption of the
HSAC recommended practices.
F. The DA shall facilitate, as he deems necessary, information to the director of
operations of operators who provide over water flight services in the state or adjacent to its
shores, through publication on the internet through an identifiable link on the DOTD website,
summaries or text of relevant new FAR and Advisory Circulars published by the FAA or
Recommended Practices published by HSAC.
G.(1) The DA shall publish a report to the legislature, directed to the chairs of the
House and Senate committees on transportation, highways and public works, wherein the DA
shall summarize and comment upon all of the following:
(a) The previous year's developments in safe practices for operators who provide
over water flight services in the state or adjacent to its shores, as such safe practices have
evolved over the previous twelve months, through the federal and industry organizations
referenced in this Part.
(b) Efforts made by the DA to ensure knowledge of all such practices by operators
within the industry.
(2) The report shall be delivered to the committees no later than the first of
September annually. A copy of the report shall also be sent to the director of operations of
each helicopter operator known by the DA to be engaged in providing over water flight
services in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Legislative History

Acts 2010, No. 572, §1, eff. June 25, 2010; Acts 2011, No. 147, §1, eff. June 24, 2011; Acts 2023, No. 168, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2024.