Oil companies working in the North Sea have been warned that the operation of rigs and other equipment does not meet the required standards, a report says.

According to the Guardian, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a number of improvement notices to operators in the North Sea in an effort to drive up standards offshore.

The paper claims that the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee (OILC) is concerned over the notices and believes that safety standards dropped last year.

Safety was compromised after operators opted to cut pay when oil prices fell last year, the organisation reportedly stated.

General secretary of the OILC Jake Molloy told the paper: "Drill workers feel that they're sold short. They undergo training and do the work and the reward they get is a massive pay cut. It's not good for safety culture on rigs."

As well as tackling the issue of safety in the offshore environment, the HSE also offers guidance for working offshore. New guidelines from the executive released this month cover the provision of accommodation.

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