When the Trump administration took office, it promised to halt, modify or roll back overly burdensome and ineffective regulations. So far the administration appears to be keeping that promise, at least as far as offshore regulations go. As promised, the Department of the Interior halted the premature Air Quality Rule and began the laborious process of revisiting and revising portions of the Well Control Rule and the Arctic Rule.

Predictably, even before necessary discussions between regulators and the offshore industry began, environmentalists were falsely labeling potential regulatory revisions as a roll back in safety. These groups and individuals opposed to fossil fuels routinely attempt to dehumanize the offshore industry with the label of “Big Oil.”

In reality, the offshore industry is made up of hundreds of companies of all sizes and thousands of dedicated people who work hard to safely provide the U.S. with reliable and affordable energy. Much of the offshore workforce lives near the Gulf of Mexico, where they relax on its sandy beaches, fish in its bountiful waters, and even hunt in its resilient marshes. No one has a more personal stake in safe operations and a clean environment then the men and women who work offshore.

Back onshore and in the boardroom, the focus on safety remains. Accidents increase the costs of doing business and result in penalties, fines and lower income. Boards of directors do not take kindly to a bad safety reputation, and stock holders also are unforgiving of a poor safety record.

The overall safety record of the offshore oil and gas sector is stellar in comparison to other industrialized sectors. The average injury and illness rate for all U.S. industries is 3.2 cases per 100 workers. By comparison, the injury and illness rate for the oil and gas industry is 0.9 cases per 100 workers. Logging (3.8 cases per 100 workers), candy making (4.6 cases per 100 workers), and even hog farming (6.8 cases for 100 workers) are all riskier to one’s health.

The U.S. offshore regulatory regime is also highly regarded. Regulations enforced in the Gulf of Mexico often are replicated in other oil and gas producing areas. Likewise, best practices identified elsewhere are often incorporated in the U.S. regulatory framework.

Revisiting offshore regulations is not a roll back in safety—it is smart policy. The halting and reworking of the Well Control Rule and other offshore regulations presents not only an opportunity for course correction but also an opportunity to further increase safety and improve the efficiency of the regulations. The men and women of the oil and gas industry, some of whom have worked offshore for decades, understand drilling technology and have the expertise to drill wells safely. Their real-world experience and input to regulators can help inform clearer offshore regulations that are both implementable and enforceable.

OTC showcases the very latest technology; however new technology is only as good as the men and women who safely implement it. Safe operations are the responsibility of everyone in the offshore industry, from the moonpool to the boardroom, from the seismic vessel to the largest drilling platform. The Trump administration has given the industry an opportunity to be a positive factor in improving safety and reducing the cost of regulation; that opportunity comes with the responsibility to do it right. The men and women of the offshore industry must never be complacent or satisfied that safety cannot be further improved.

John Gellert is the CEO of SEACOR Marine and serves as the 2018-2019 Chairman of the National Ocean Industries Association.