The two directors; Richard Dingwall and Tom Byrne, are well known for their efforts in improving the quality of lifting engineering in the oil & gas industry. Each have in excess of 35 years experience in Crane and Rigging Operations and are the authors of the highly acclaimed “International Rigging and Lifting Handbook”, which is used by the Oil and Gas industry worldwide. The majority of the staff has well in excess of 10 years experience specialising in lifting-related operations

The company is split into various departments that compliment each other, such as Product Development, Technical Operations, Training and Sales & Marketing. The in-house Graphics and Media department, who produce the training materials and delivery methods, support all of these.

In 2004, NSL took their first large step into the “brave new world” of digital media delivery by developing a custom built Online Learning Management System. Designed to deliver “awareness level” industrial safety training courses thus giving companies full control over their training requirements, tracking, and the recording of learner information with minimal effort. The system, built and maintained by NSL is constantly evolving to meet the demanding needs of our clients. The creation of customised courses for clients, developing new training for industry bodies, and adding new features to the system to facilitate the management of user data has always been the driving force behind many of the enhancements to the system.

Employing experts in new media technologies to work alongside our already established Graphic Designers and Technical Authors proved a powerful and dynamic combination. Technical Authors understand the demanding training and safety requirements of the Energy Industries and can communicate that information at the required level; digital media experts create new and innovative platforms for delivery; and designers transform the content into visually interesting and engaging materials. Our in-house team of industry experts, inspired designers and technology gurus will ensure that NSL stands head and shoulders above other training providers.

Future technologies are never far away and are continually presenting themselves to us. Every day new and updated equipment and increased worldwide Internet bandwidth offers industry new opportunities to control and deliver information more effectively and efficiently.

Consequently, we have shown a commitment to staying at the cutting edge of technology and are prepared to embrace new developments and delivery formats, while at the heart of these developments keeping our first objective in sight; and that is to deliver the best possible safety training and services to Worldwide Energy Industries, and to help people to stay safe.

The changes and growth of communication technology over the last 10 years has been fast and furious, and shows no signs of slowing. Overhead projectors, “dial-up” Internet access, even stamps these days have been confined to the back of our relics cupboard. We now have the storage capacity on a pocket USB pen-drive that we once had on a whole office network. And it does not seem terribly long ago that mobile phones, email and browsing the net were a novelty for us all. Now, imagine surviving just a week without these technologies. Peaceful, yes; productive, no!
Keeping a globally deployed workforce up-to-date with the latest safety information, and trained to the highest possible standards has always been logistically difficult and a substantial financial burden. Training content deployed via the Internet and other digital technologies makes instant access to training, possible, easy and very cost effective. Most importantly, employees working locally, offshore or located overseas can now all gain the same real-time instant access to high quality training materials whenever it’s required. And all this can all be managed electronically from one administrative location; keeping training records up to date, safe and accessible.

Twenty years on, the company has earned an enviable reputation internationally for consistently delivering training products & materials, and training services of the highest quality.

Our head office is situated at 42 Queens Rd, in the city centre of Aberdeen, and our custom-built training centre is conveniently located beside Aberdeen’s Dyce Airport. From here, we send specialist personnel worldwide on long-term and short-term contracts to act as Competent Persons for Lifting Operations (CPLOs) or Technical Authorities (TAs). We also supply personnel on a job-to-job basis to look after / assist with special projects as the client requires.

In the Caspian, from our branch office in Baku, Azerbaijan, we have specialist personnel permanently on site at our client’s facilities to coach and mentor personnel involved in lifting operations.

In the USA, we have a subsidiary company (NSL America) with their head office in Houston, Texas and a training centre in Broussard, Louisiana.

From the USA, we also service the Gulf of Mexico, South Americas and the Caribbean oil & gas industry.

We translate all our products into various languages to reflect the geographical locations of oil and gas exploration and production. All our products and services as a minimum, meet legislative, regulatory and industry requirements but tend to set a lot higher standard as expected by the oil and gas industry.

With the majority of our products translated into the popular languages of the oilfield such as American, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Arabic, it has enabled us to we deliver training and supply safety-training material, to over 35 countries.

Our primary activities are the:

• Development & production of safe operating procedures
• Development & production of technical guidance materials
• Creation of internal & external competence programmes
• Provision of instructor-led training courses
• Provision of eLearning courses
• Provision of safety training material such as handbooks, posters, DVDs and teaching packs

Our primary services are:

• Technical audits and reviews
• Problem solving in lifting and mechanical handling operations
• Training and mentoring client’s personnel
• The supply of competent / specialist personnel and technical authorities (CPLOs and TAs).
• Technical approval of lifting plans produced by others

Wherever our clients are based internationally, when it comes to safety in lifting operations, we are able to look after their interests, and provide them with the tools they need to develop a competent workforce. That’s our commitment to safety!

Over the last 20 years, NSL have developed a suite of technical handbooks, safety posters, DVDs and practical training courses for various mechanical handling and related subjects such as: Rigging and Lifting, Working at Height, Cargo Handling – Crane operations, Manual Handling, Dropped Objects, Hand and Finger injuries and Electrical Safety. The majority have been translated into various languages to suit the global oilfield and most are also available as elearning packages for remote work locations. We have also developed and produced a procedures document to assist companies in organising, controlling and improving safety and efficiency in lifting operations from initial selection of equipment through to safe use. This is known as our “Lifting Equipment Control and Operations Procedure / Policy” or LECOP - as it’s internationally known!

Apart from our standard products, we are often asked to produce safety-related materials for clients to reflect their in-house policies and procedures but created in our unique style which seems to succeed in getting the message across to the target audience, i.e. the workforce. We can also design and create specialised tools and equipment to overcome particular lifting hazards, e.g. the "Push / Pull Pole" to help facilitate "Hands-free Lifting".

Practical Courses

A full list of our courses can be viewed online or in our UK and US directories.
To ensure the quality and consistency of our courses, our Instructors are not only specialists in their fields with a minimum of 10 years experience in rigging / crane / mechanical related operations but are also required to complete rigorous in-house training. Only when a new Instructor has satisfied their peers that the presentation and delivery is to the required NSL standard, will they be deemed suitable to present to delegates. In addition, instructors who are not already approved Skills Assessor’s will be trained as Assessors in-house, until they are ready to be formally assessed and accredited as SQA approved Skills Assessors.

eLearning Courses

We developed our own Learning Management System and now offer access to our safety awareness courses over the Internet.

eLearning is an extremely efficient way to train and learn. NSL eLearning allows individuals to learn at their own pace, to pause at any point to take notes from the on-screen course notes or stop at a convenient part in the course, then return to it at a later date.

Courses can be custom designed for individual companies by adapting one of the existing NSL courses, by taking a course the company has in place already and developing it for online delivery, or by creating brand new bespoke courses.

Our Learning Management System (LMS) gives you full control of your learners’ training. The administration area lets you fully manage your learners’ online training requirements from any computer with internet access.

We have a full suite of industrial safety awareness courses available, for example Rigging & Lifting, Working at Height, Manual Handling, Safe Cargo Handling, Injuries to Fingers & Hands, Office Safety.

We can also build custom courses to suit any training programme or induction process. If you have internet access, the web is by far the easiest and most efficient way to deliver and manage our eLearning. Both Administrators and Learners have full control via the web. Administrators can add new learners and assign courses from any computer with internet access.

Broadband is preferable for learners, but if access speeds are slow, audio can be switched off to dramatically speed things up and where internet access is not available, we can also deliver eLearning courses on CD.

Independent Technical Reviews & Appraisals:

This service is where our engineers make a field visit to review either systems of work, performance levels of personnel including Crane Operator assessments to international standards) or standards of maintenance on plant and equipment with a view to their safety, efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Engineering Design & Rigging Supervision Services:

This is a specialist service dealing with mechanical handling and installation projects from the initial offshore survey to the production of the final work pack. This can include the provision of specialist personnel at the worksite for the duration of the project for advice and trouble-shooting.

The supply of Site Competent Personnel and / or Technical Authorities:

This is where we place selected personnel qualified in the fields of crane operations, mechanical handling and / or lifting equipment to control at the client’s worksite (on long or short-term contract) to look after lifting operations, deal with lifting plans and generally mentor client’s personnel.

Incident, Accident and Failure investigation:

We also perform or assist with incident, accident and failure investigations and are often called upon as third party / expert witnesses in court.

NSL’s Technical Department, which researches and writes all the training courses and technical procedures, can be contacted by existing clients to answer technical questions relating to lifting equipment and lifting operations.

In addition, when a client brings NSL personnel on contract, for example in the role of Technical Authority, they also gain the support of the NSL Technical Department.

When you contract a CPLO / TA from NSL. You don’t just get one person, you get a whole department for the price of one person!

At present we have training course approvals, memberships and working relationships with AACTIS, API, EAL, IADC, IMCA, IRATA, OGUK and OPITO.

AACTIS (Academy of Accreditation, Certification and Training to International Standards) – Have agreed to act as an agent for NSL in Trinidad.

API (American Petroleum Institute) is the main trade association for the US Oil and Gas Industry. - We have had approval since 2007 for Rigging and Banksman Courses delivered in the US.

EAL (EMTA Awards Ltd) is the UK’s leading awarding body for engineering National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and their Scottish equivalents (SVQs). - They have been the awarding Body for our competence programmes since 2002.

IADC (International Association of Drilling Contractors) - We have been associate members since 2007

IMCA, is the international trade association representing offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies. We became a training establishment member this year.

IRATA (International Rope Access Training Association) – We have had membership as an approved trainer since 2002.

OGUK (Oil & Gas UK) is an offshoot from UKOOA. – We were approved and commissioned to create eLearning programmes to roll out and support their latest industry “Guidelines for the Safe Packing and Handling of Cargo to and from Offshore Locations”.

OPITO (Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation) is the Oil and Gas industry’s focal point for skills, learning and workforce development. - We have been approved to deliver the OPITO 3-day Introduction to Rigging and Lifting since 2008.

We also actively participate with industry work groups such as OPITO, to raise standards and provide dedicated training courses and support materials to improve the skills of the Oil and Gas Industry workforce and hence improve safety overall.