HELICOPTER
SAFETY
STEERING
GROUP
TIM GLASSPOOL / ALAN CHESTERMAN
CO-CHAIRS
WHAT HSSG HAS
ACHIEVED
A trusted communications link to the Offshore workforce
• Working hard to increase workforce confidence in Helicopters.
Production of Newsletters to educate and inform
• How Commercial Air Transport Regulation Works
• The facts behind RTB’s
• The outcomes of the various investigations and inquiries as they are
published
Facilitated the re-introduction of the EC225 with additional safety measures
• Workforce engagement presentations
• Factory visits
• Appointment of third-party experts
Has provided the means to keep the industry aligned and flying after each
accident
THE FUTURE OF HSSG
Even before CAP 1145 the HSSG was changing.
More focused
• Smaller group of business leaders
• Prioritised tasks – ranked on safety improvement
Increased ownership of the issues
• Fewer tasks, faster implementation
Accountable to achieve targets
• Individuals accountable to the Group for achieving defined targets. With the
results a matter of public record.
•
First meeting 23rd Jan, attended and fully supported by Bristow,
Bond and CHC MDs.
•
Helicopter manufacturers represented.
•
By invitation only from next meeting 20th March.
•
Prioritisation of key activities underway.
4
HSSG STRATEGY
WORK PLAN –
CONSOLIDATE AND
PRIORITISE BY 1Q
Project
Actvities
Who
2014
4Q
1Q
2Q
3Q
4Q
HSSG meetings
G-WNSB investigation
AAIB
Monitor lessons from incidents
HSSG
Recommendations and actions
CAA
Lessons from Incidents
CAA operations and safety review
Initial & recommendations & actions
Heli-Operators Joint Safety Review
22/5
20/3
Other meetings & key events
Ongoing
Operators
Follow-up activities
Draft strategy and activities
HSSG Strategy and work plan
13/3
New HSSG constituents
Review & revise HSSG / ASTG activity plans
Regular E-updates
Workforce Communication
Lessons learned findings / actions
Comms
Group
Potential New Key Projects
Operating procedures and training
Projects from CAA & Operators reviews
Heli-contracts
Standard dontract technical requirements
TBC
Helicopter escape and survival
Escape and Survival study
TBC
Current Projects
HUMS AAD
Develop recommendations
ASTG
Encourage implementation
HSSG
Improved helideck lighting
Communicate production version to industry
Implementation by industry (summer activity)
Weather Station Network
Follow-up review & improve
OGUK
Industry
Industry/HSSG
Ongoing
24/7
25/9
27/11
CAP 1145
Produced internally by the
CAA in response to the
Transport Select Committee
Inquiry into helicopter safety
An 18-month report produced
in 4 months.
The CAA have been under fire
from various quarters
regarding tougher regulation
and oversight – this is the
response.
The timelines are deliberately
aggressive to force a
response from the industry.
SOME IMPLICATIONS
OF CAP 1145
Availability of Cat A EBS
• Helicopter seating restrictions
Helicopter Operations at high Sea States
• No real change from the current situation
• Side floating helicopters are several years away
Emergency exit size limitations
• Methodology and impact still to be determined
Each requirement will become legally enforceable through the
publication of CAA Operational Directives.
• These will apply to all UK registered aircraft around the world, and to all
aircraft operating in the UKCS, regardless of their State of Registration
THE ROLE OF HSSG
A new helicopter offshore safety forum has been established
to drive forward the actions and recommendations from CAP
1145
The role of HSSG will be to communicate and facilitate these
issues, and those of the Joint Operators Review (JOR)
For example;
• Passenger sizing relative to emergency exits. How will this be
achieved? It cannot be decided at the check-in desk.
• Allocation of Cat A EBS. This needs to be managed across
the UKCS, not just on a company-by-company basis
HSSG will work with OGUK, the helicopter operators and the
CAA to determine how best to proceed.
CAP 1145 RESPONSE –
EBS WORKGROUP
19 MARCH 2014
CAA ACTION 8
A8. With effect from 01 June 2014, the
CAA will prohibit the occupation of
passenger seats not adjacent to pushout window emergency exits during
offshore helicopter operations, except
in response to an offshore emergency,
unless the consequences of capsize
are mitigated by at least one of the
following:
All passengers on offshore flights
wearing Emergency Breathing Systems
that meet Category ‘A’ of the
specification detailed in CAP 1034 in
order to increase underwater survival
time;
Fitment of the side-floating helicopter
scheme in order to remove the time
pressure to escape.
SCiS Terms of Reference
To introduce a fit-for purpose Category A
Emergency Breathing System (EBS) for
passenger use in helicopters servicing the UK
offshore oil and gas Industry.
The EBS must be integrated with the other
survival systems in passenger use, easy and
comfortable to use, with a minimal training
requirement.
CAP 1034 - CAT A EBS
KEY REQUIREMENTS
•
Have the capability to be deployed both in air and underwater.
•
The EBS shall be simple to deploy and capable of being operated with
either hand.
•
No more than one action should be required to activate the system on
submersion.
•
Subjects should be provided with a means to prevent water from
entering the nose.
•
It shall be fully possible to deploy category A EBS in less than 12
seconds with one hand.
•
It shall be demonstrated that the mouthpiece can be deployed within 10
seconds.
•
Cold water performance; EBS systems used in testing to define the
standard provided sufficient breathing air for a duration >60 seconds in
cold (12oC) water.*
* Depends on actual water temperature, deployment depth, individual fitness level and breathing rate.
EMERGENCY BREATHING SYSTEMS
Three types of EBS are currently available to provide short term air
supply for emergency escape.
• Re-breather (Category B) EBS uses a bag acting as an artificial lung – the
user takes a breath before immersion, breathes into the bag and
rebreathes air from the bag.
• Compressed Air (Category A) EBS is a small aqualung; air stored in a small
cylinder at high pressure is released by a regulator for breathing.
Canada currently uses this type of EBS.
• Hybrid (Category B unless modified) EBS is a re-breather with a small CA
cylinder that releases air into the bag on immersion. The user rebreathes
air from the bag in the same way as a non-hybrid re-breather but need not
take a breath before submersion.
UK currently uses this type of EBS.
PROJECT TEAM
Name
Organisation
Colin Griffiths
TSEUK
Dr. Sue Coleshaw
EXTERNAL CONTACTS
Representation
Name
Organisation Representation
Chair
David Doig
OPITO
Group Chief
Executive
SRK Coleshaw
EBS SME*
Mark Neilson
OPITO
Technical Director
Greg Allanach
Survivtec
Safety Equipment
Provider*
Chester
Armstrong
CAA
Davie Hunter
Shell
O&G Duty Holder
Aviation SME
Drew Wilson
Lloyds
SI971 Rep
Jon Hopkinson
CHC
Helicopter Service
Provider
Emily Taylor
Step Change
Secretariat/Senior
Business Analyst
Dave Howson CAA
Dominic
Cortizo
CAA
Chris Sherman HSE
Robert
Paterson
OGUK
Les Linklater
SCiS
Flight Operations
Manager
(Helicopters)
Research Project
Manager
Specialist
Chief Inspector of
Diving
Health, Safety &
Employment
Issues Director
Team Leader