Directive 92/91/EEC Maturity · Safety Requirements in the Drilling Sector
Your drilling safety set-up, measured against Directive 92/91/EEC and turned into a costed action plan.
10 themes, a 5-level scale. And the action that moves each level to the next.
The framework’s 10 themes, already written from L1 to L5. One company, one business unit, or 300 at once.
Directive 92/91/EEC Maturity · Safety Requirements in the Drilling Sector
10 themes, 5-level scale.
Nordhavn Industries
53 / 100
They measure their maturity with Datamensio
An example
This could be your situation.
Take one company as an example: three sites, three spreadsheets, no shared answer.
Nobody can consolidate.
Nordhavn Industries, 2,400 people in Hamburg, Lyon and Porto. A client asks where the group stands. Each site answers in its own spreadsheet, with its own scales.
Three weeks, a single base.
One Council Directive 92/91/EEC of 3 November 1992 assessment launched across all three sites at once, from the managers’ interview notes. The framework was already written, its 10 themes and levels L1 to L5 too.
Two costs avoided before being committed.
A score of 53 out of 100, with the gap concentrated on three themes. The AI companion spotted that two actions duplicated those of another audit. The committee report took one sentence to request.
What it saved them
- 3sites measured on the same base, instead of three questionnaires to reconcile
- 2duplicate actions caught before the spend
- 1committee report, with no manual rework
These figures are an example. They could be yours.
The standard imposes processes. Datamensio says where you stand.
01
The framework is already written
Themes, questions and levels L1 to L5, all written. You do not start from an empty spreadsheet.
02
The score lands the same day
Online, by self-assessment link or in interview. Theme by theme, comparable over time.
03
The gap becomes a costed plan
Every step up carries its action. The AI prioritises on expected effect, not on the order of the standard.
04
Progress can be demonstrated
Campaign after campaign, against your target and against your own past. That is what your board asks for.
The maturity scale
One level, the next, and the action that links the two.
It is this mechanism, a level, the level above, and the action linking the two, that turns a finding into a trajectory.
Is the safety and health document updated after every significant modification to the installation?
- N1
No rule for updating. The document dates from its initial drafting and makes no mention of equipment added since.
- N2
The document is updated at inspections or major shutdowns, with no systematic link to modifications actually carried out.
- N3
Any significant modification triggers a review of the document. Updates are dated and circulated to the teams concerned.
- N4
Updating is built into the change management process, with sign-off by the installation manager and a check for consistency with the emergency plans.
- N5
Revisions are analysed over time to fix recurring causes of mismatch between the document and the real installation, with traceable decisions.
Action to move from L2 to L3
Make review of the safety and health document a mandatory step in the change management procedure, and have the dated update signed off at the site HSE meeting before the installation is returned to service.
« With Datamensio, we meet our objectives far more efficiently. The ERDF inspection services and our supervising ministry particularly appreciated an approach that gives them reliable data. »
Director, CCI 94CCI Île-de-France
« We believe this is the most suitable solution to scale our transformation project and measure impact according to our needs. »
Maja SucekChief Operating Officer, Interreg Danube
Rarely on its own
Frameworks combine. Put several together to cover your business, or have the AI write yours.
Take your first measurement
What this framework covers
Directive 92/91/EEC of 3 November 1992 concerns workers in the extractive industries through drilling: oil, gas, deep drilling, onshore operations and offshore installations. It supplements framework Directive 89/391/EEC with minimum requirements specific to this sector. Its cornerstone is the safety and health document, which must demonstrate that risks have been assessed, that suitable measures are taken, and that workplaces and equipment are designed, used and maintained safely. The annex adds requirements on escape routes, fire fighting, explosive atmospheres, medical supervision and evacuation means.
In practice, running this is harder than reading the text. The safety and health document almost always exists, but does it reflect the installation as it actually operates today, after several rounds of site modifications? Is coordination between the operator and contractor firms written down, or does it rest on the habits of long-standing crews? Do evacuation and well-control drills cover the scenarios that are genuinely plausible, or only the ones everyone already knows how to run? These questions cannot be settled by a paper check.
One confusion keeps recurring: 92/91/EEC is sometimes mixed up with 92/104/EEC, which covers surface and underground extractive industries. The two are neighbours but distinct, and an organisation running both types of activity has to hold both logics at once. Requirements on explosive atmospheres also link up with the ATEX directives 1999/92/EC and 2014/34/EU, and the largest installations may fall under Seveso III. The real scope of your obligations only becomes clear once several texts are read together.
A compliance check ends with a gap or no gap against a requirement. A maturity assessment answers a different question: what level of control does each practice sit at, and what specific action moves it up a level. A safety and health document that is formally in place can still sit at level 2 if it has not been updated after a change to the installation. This graded reading is what makes the subject manageable across a multi-site group.
In Datamensio, the framework is ready to use and adaptable. The AI adjusts the themes, questions and wording of the levels to your organisation, or builds a variant from your own safety documents and site procedures.
Reference standard: Council Directive 92/91/EEC of 3 November 1992
The themes assessed
Safety and health document
Existence, content, risk assessment by workstation and phase, updating after modification, extension or transformation of the installation, accessibility to workers.
Operator organisation and responsibilities
Designation of the responsible person, on-site chain of command, resources allocated, regular monitoring and supervision, consultation and participation of workers.
Coordination of contractor firms
Split of responsibilities between operator and external firms, mutual information, work permits, induction and authorisation of contractors.
Design and operation of workplaces
Circulation routes, escape routes and emergency exits, signage, lighting, manned workstations, accommodation facilities where applicable, living conditions.
Work equipment and maintenance
Suitability of equipment for drilling operations, periodic inspections, maintenance log, well-control devices and emergency shutdown systems.
Explosive atmospheres and fire risks
Identification and classification of zones, prevention of ignition sources, gas detection, fire fighting means, alignment with ATEX requirements.
Emergency plans and evacuation
Scenarios covered, evacuation and rescue means, assembly points, regular drills, liaison with external emergency services, offshore-specific arrangements.
Health monitoring and first aid
Medical supervision suited to the risks and isolation involved, trained first aiders, first aid equipment, medical evacuation.
Information, training and competence
Written instructions, initial and refresher training, qualification for critical roles, communication in degraded situations, languages used on site.
Lessons learned and improvement
Reporting and analysis of incidents and near misses, tracking of corrective actions, indicators, periodic reviews of the set-up, comparison between installations.
A short version of the framework is available for the online self-assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Does the assessment count as a compliance check against Directive 92/91/EEC?
No. The directive is transposed into national law and checked by the competent authorities. The assessment measures the maturity level of your practices, documents gaps and prepares you for inspection. Datamensio does not issue any certificate.
What is the difference with Directive 92/104/EEC?
92/91/EEC covers extractive industries through drilling, onshore and offshore. 92/104/EEC covers surface and underground operations. A group active in both can run both assessments and consolidate the results into a single cross-cutting roadmap.
How long does the assessment take?
As a self-assessment by an HSE manager, it can be completed in a single working session. In collaborative mode with the installation manager, maintenance and medical staff, allow one to two weeks, most of the time going into gathering evidence from site teams.
Can the framework be adapted to our installations?
Yes. You can change the questions, add themes specific to offshore or deep drilling, and reword the levels. The AI can also build a variant from your existing safety documents. The framework is yours.
Can several sites be compared with each other?
Yes. The score per theme allows benchmarking between business units and platforms, and comparison with your own earlier assessments. The gaps feed a consolidated roadmap across the whole fleet.
How does the assessment link up with ATEX and Seveso III?
Requirements on explosive atmospheres overlap with 1999/92/EC and 2014/34/EU, and some installations fall under Seveso III. Assessments can be cross-referenced in a single roadmap, without duplicating common actions.
Do you need drilling engineering expertise to answer?
The questions cover organisation, documentation and management practices, not well engineering parameters. Some answers do need input from the supervisor or maintenance team: collaborative mode lets you assign these questions to the right person.
Where is the data hosted?
In France, with OVH, backed up at Scaleway. No transfer outside the European Union. The AI models used can be selected, including from European providers.