A lawyer for hundreds of offshore oil workers says his union is being prevented from bringing forward issues to a St. John's inquiry looking into offshore helicopter safety.

"We are here to be heard," said CEP lawyer Randy Earle Monday. "We are not here to be a decoration."

Earle wants to question petroleum producers and the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board about documents filed after companies testified last year.

The documents, which haven't been entered into evidence at the inquiry, describe the oil industry's plans to include underwater breathing devices on the survival suits of offshore workers who use helicopters to travel to work.

Inquiry officials said there will be an opportunity for Earle to raise questions about the documents with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) in February after all the witnesses have been heard.

Earle said that's not good enough. He wants to be able to raise question about those documents with members of the panel of oil industry operators who testified Monday.

Earle said he won't satisfied if the solution is to allow him to question CAPP, the association that represents oil companies in February

"CAPP is only a function of the operators," Earle said. "CAPP dropped the ball on the breathing device for about 18 months because the oil operators said, 'Oh no, we want to deal with this internally.' The operators call the shots."

He said he was told by inquiry officials that there may be issues with whether oil industry officials have had time to examine those documents.

Inquiry counsel John Roil said he was disappointed that he wasn't given a heads up about the union's concerns before Monday.

Inquiry commissioner Robert Wells, a retired Supreme Court judge, said the lawyers should discuss this issue and try to resolve it.

The inquiry began hearing witnesses again Jan. 11, after a month-long break.

The inquiry was called following the crash of Cougar Flight 491 off the east coast of Newfoundland in March. Seventeen of the 18 people on board died.