Howard Pike, chief Safety officer for the Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum, testified at the Wells inquiry in St. John's Wednesday. (CBC)

Offshore workers have raised concerns, but no significant helicopter safety problems have been found since Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore oil operations began in 1997, according to the board that regulates the industry.

"Members of the joint occupational health and safety committees have raised issues in regard to helicopter transport in the past," Howard Pike, chief safety officer of the Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, told an inquiry Wednesday. "Everything from concerns with the helicopter suits to concerns with the helicopters themselves."

The Wells inquiry into offshore helicopter safety was established by the CNLOPB following the crash of Cougar flight 491 last March that resulted in the death of 17 people.

Pike said that since 1997, when the Hibernia oil platform began working offshore, 178 concerns have been raised about helicopter operations by health and safety committees.

Pike said the board has done 261 safety audits or inspections of the oil industry's offshore operations, but none of the audits found significant safety concerns with the helicopter safety.

Robert Wells, a retired judge and commissioner of the inquiry, is expected to file a report with recommendations on how to improve offshore safety by March 31.

The inquiry wrapped up on Wednesday with lawyers with standing getting cross-examining the board's witnesses.

It will resume Monday with a witness from the Federal Transportation Safety Board.