Reducing incidents through training and competence assessment

Lifting and hoisting operations are inherently dangerous and can result in serious incidents. Each year there are serious incidents associated with this type of work and they consistently rank among the top causes of fatalities. Lifting and hoisting operations can be as varied as the lifting of loads using forklift trucks, working with manual hoists, winches and hydraulic jacks, hoisting heavy loads over live facilities and the hoisting of topside modules onto offshore facilities. Safe and efficient management of these different types of operations can be a difficult challenge. All operations involving lifting and hoisting equipment shall be planned and appropriately managed on the basis of risk, complexity of the operations and working environment. As this is a legal requirement, many organizations have developed their own in-house procedures for the management of lifting and hoisting operations.

As per ISO 12480‐1 a person is designated in charge of the operations, has overall control and acts on behalf of the management of the organization requiring the load to be moved. It is of vital importance that this “Person In Charge” has the practical skills, theoretical knowledge and ability to carry out risk assessments, produce and assess lifting and hoisting plans, conduct pre‐operational meetings and have the supervisory skills and experience required to organise the specific lifting and hoisting operation.

While not a training provider, but fully dedicated to recruitment services in the lifting and hoisting industry with a clear commitment to safety by delivering competent and experienced specialists, the management of “want-to-hoist-for-you” is very familiar with rules, regulations and available training in lifting and hoisting. Already in 2012 it was noted, that a dedicated training for the Person In Charge of lifting and hoisting operations was not available in the Netherlands. On request of Shell U.I.E. a dedicated training for the Person In Charge was set up and since the first trial course well over 100 persons have been trained, for Shell as well as their contractors. Numerous field audits by independent third parties are evidence of a serious improvement in overall supervision and compliance with rules and regulations of lifting and hoisting. Thus contributing on the overall safety! 

The “best in class” approach by Shell and 12hoist4u was confirmed in the conclusions and recommendations of a report issued in August 2013 by the Dutch Inspectorate SZW, in which they state that organizations renting mobile cranes shall increase their awareness of the legal obligations of supervising hoisting activities.

The training Person In Charge is aimed for everyone who holds responsibility for lifting and hoisting operations. In addition this training gives in-depth understanding of a serious amount of legal aspects for other positions that are facing lifting and hoisting aspects. 

For 2014 the Person In Charge training is scheduled on every first Monday and every third and fourth Wednesday of the month. You can download your registration form directly here or on our website.
    

One of the activities specific to the offshore industry is the transfer of personnel between vessels and other offshore structures. Last couple of years have seen an increased attention for all safety aspects related to offshore personnel transfer. Several guidelines and best practices have been published, such as the IMCA Guidance on the transfer of personnel to and from offshore vessels, the Stepchange Marine transfer of personnel guideline and the soon to be published OMHEC guidance for the lifting of personnel offshore. Whatever guidance, best practice or company specific procedure followed, all personnel involved in the transfer, whether making the transfer or assisting with it, should be competent to do so and should have received appropriate training. This is particularly important for the crane operator.

Offshore crane operators contracted from “want-to-hoist-for-you” are involved in personnel transfer operations regularly. With our commitment to safety we wanted to offer our customers competent crane operators that have specifically been trained and assessed in hoisting operations with a personnel transfer carrier. Together with global market leading manufacturer of personnel transfer baskets, Reflex Marine, and one of the biggest European training schools for all lifting and hoisting related trainings, SOMA in Harderwijk the Netherlands, a crane operator training for offshore crane operators that are going to be involved in offshore personnel transfer was set-up.

A full day training that covers all operational and safety aspects, risk awareness, best practices and above all several practical exercises during which the whole operation including the checklist procedure followed by a “live hoisting operation with a personnel transfer carrier”. A practical and theoretical assessment concludes the training. This brings 12hoist4u in the unique position to offer our customers offshore crane operators that are trained and assessed in the safe use of a personnel transfer basket, before starting on their first shift.

The training developed jointly by Reflex Marine and SOMA is also available for companies that want to have their own operators trained and assessed. In case you want to contract a crane operator holding a dedicated certificate for operations which involve a personnel transfer carrier or you want your operators being trained and assessed for it, you can contact 12hoist4u.