DIVER - RIGGER TRAINING & COMPETENCE ASSESSMENT

A new Diver’s rigging and lifting training course and assessment process has been developed to formally measure and establish the existing skill levels of experienced divers involved with handling loads under water. It is also designed to train divers new to the industry and assess their ability to participate safely in lifting operations.

The training course covers legislation and regulations, planning, risk assessment, pre-use inspection of lifting equipment, the safe use of lifting equipment, installation of lifting appliances, slinging of loads, rotating loads, cross-hauling loads, lifting loads with an offset C of G, lifting in low headroom situations, handling loads underwater and the safe use of air-lift bags.

The course has a required pass mark of 80%. Certificates will NOT be issued for attendance only.

At the end of the training, successful delegates are issued with a CERTIFICATE OF TRAINING. Their certificate entitles them to continue rigging and lifting in the workplace albeit under supervision and as part of a team working to plans created by competent persons. This rigging can be carried out topside or under water.

If they choose to do so, divers can enter the competence programmes where they are issued with a Level 1 or Level 2 logbook (depending on amount of previous experience) which contains specific performance criteria.

The logbook is to be used to record their rigging and lifting activities and experience in the work place as evidence of their competence. The tasks recorded in the log book must be witnessed and signed off preferably by a qualified skills assessor or by a nominated company representative (normally the Diving Supervisor) who has the relevant knowledge and experience to confirm that the work has been carried out safely and that the completed task form accurately describes the way the job was carried out. The completed logbook is then assessed and verified by NSL and EAL prior to the award of a CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCE. This certificate is valid for two years after which time the candidate must be re-assessed to confirm that competence is being maintained and / or to progress to the next level.

RIGGING AND LIFTING LEVEL 1 – Divers with little or no rigging experience

This programme qualifies divers to perform ROUTINE and SIMPLE lifting tasks during the execution of their normal duties. These divers may also participate safely in COMPLICATED and COMPLEX lifting operations.

RIGGING AND LIFTING LEVEL 2 – Divers with rigging experience

This programme qualifies divers who have to perform routine, simple, COMPLICATED and COMPLEX lifting operations. It is also aimed at those responsible for the planning and safe execution of the operations.

RIGGING AND LIFTING LEVEL 3 - (Lead Divers / Dive Supervisors)

Two years after attaining the Rigger level 2 qualification, divers can either be reassessed as Level 2 or sit the exam for Level 3. This is a theory test only and is mainly maths based. It covers subjects such as calculation of areas, volumes and weights, angular loading and force diagrams, sub-sea lifting and buoyancy.

These programmes were specifically designed for the Oil and Gas Industry but they were aligned with existing VQ s such as the ECITB and EMTA Rigging qualifications.

To summerise:

Level 1 is the basic competence level for doing the work safely under instruction / supervision. Level 1 Riggers can create routine and simple plans but they must be approved by level 2 riggers or similar. They can work safely and competently to these routine and simple plans with minimum supervision. They can also work to complicated and complex plans and the level of supervision would depend on their work experience.

Level 2 is the basic competence level for planning and supervising the work safely. Level 2 Riggers can create routine, simple, complicated and complex plans but they must seek engineering assistance as and where necessary. They can also supervise lifting operations and level 1 riggers performing these operations. Once again, they must remain within their experience and competence levels.

(Our level 2 was mapped by EAL against existing level VQs and found to be high end level 2, bordering on level 3.)

The above competencies will obviously grow with work experience.

Level 3 is the advanced competence level for Supervisors.

To reserve your place, contact the National Hyperbaric Course Bookings Department on +44(0)1224 698895, or eMail training@nationalhyperbariccentre.com

NSL are now offering the OPITO Approved Three Day Introduction to Rigging & Lifting Operations Training Course

We are pleased to announce that we have been approved to deliver the OPITO Three Day Introduction to Rigging & Lifting Operations training course at our new state of the art training centre in Dyce, Aberdeen.

This course will be in addition to our existing extremely successful NSL / EAL Rigging & Lifting three day training course; which is the prerequisite to our NSL / EAL Rigger Level 1 & 2 Competence Programmes.

To get the best of both worlds, you can do the standard OPITO three day course followed by a special fourth day which deals with the planning of lifts and involves carrying out complicated and complex lifts. You will then become eligible for entry to the NSL / EAL competence programmes.

If you have already completed the OPITO course elsewhere within the last 12 months, you can still do the fourth day at NSL and become eligible.

We look forward to a long-lasting and constructive relationship with OPITO. Our aims are the same; to improve standards in lifting operations, improve safety and reduce accidents.

To book a course, or for more information, contact Jane Grubb, +44(0)1224 202515, jane@nsl-aberdeen.com

VIRTUAL RIGGER TAKES LEARNING CRANE SIGNALS
TO ANOTHER DIMENSION

Following NSL's recent ventures into 3D animation as a demonstration and training tool, we are proud to present our 3D Crane Signals Guide.

NSL America gain recognition for quality training in the USA

North Sea Lifting Ltd’s American subsidiary, NSL America Inc. Is pleased to announce that the two main training courses delivered at their new training facility in Broussard - LA, have received API approval.

The courses are:

The rigging, lifting and slinging course

The banksman/slinger/flagman course

NSL constantly strives to create consistency in lifting related training worldwide by continually improving their courses and gaining approvals from nationally recognised lead bodies in every region where oil and gas is being explored and produced.

Where our clients are working internationally, when it comes to lifting, we intend to be able to look after their interests on a global scale.

That is our commitment to the oil and gas industry.

Our success in improving training standards and raising competence levels has been helped to a large extent by the continued and ongoing support of all our long term customers.  We take this opportunity to thank them all with additional thanks to those who supported us through our early days in the USA.

FIRST Azeri National successfully completes NSL/EAL Competency Award in Lifting & Rigging

Kerim Tagiyev is the first Azeri National to successfully complete the Level 1 EAL Competency Award in Lifting and Rigging. Kerim will be presented with his award on 13th April in Baku at a logistics meeting attended by senior BP officials.

Eldar Gasiev BP said “This was achieved by great effort from NSL and individually from Kerim, I would like to complement and thank Steve Miller and Mark Wilson and Barry Riddell for continuous efforts to make this happen”

‘significant’ reduction in lifting related incidents

Following the appointment of NSL(Caspian) as the Lifting Technical Authority, for the ACG project, just over one year ago, Carroll Kearney, project director said that there had been a ‘significant’ reduction in lifting related incidents directly attributable to the efforts of Barry Riddell and the team.

At the Quarterly Performance Review the following statistics were provided as evidence:

No Hipos (High Potential of Injury or major financial loss)

No Dafwcs (Days Away From Work Cases)

Only 4 Lifting incidents (2005=19, 2004=21, 2003=22, 2001=30)

2 x First Aid (Minor Foot and Hand Injuries)

2 x Damage to Equipment (Total under $1,000) Plate Clamp, Bracket and Paint Damage on tower crane

USA UPDATE

NSL America’s office in Houston, Texas, is well established (since October 2005) with the Oil & Gas companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico, the South Americas and the Caribbean using our services extensively. We have customised our training materials to reflect American standards and equipment and to some extent, their way of thinking and doing things. This has been well received with a great deal of interest shown in our products and services.

NEW US TRAINING CENTRE

NSL America’s new training centre in Broussard, Louisiana, has been up and running since January 2007.  Advance bookings for the next 6 months, especially from one of the major drilling companies, guarantee to keep the instructors busy and enquiries are multiplying on a daily basis. In addition to delivering training, our instructors also deal with client’s lifting problems and act as the independent competent person for complex lifting operations.  They also coach / mentor client’s staff on site, perform audits and technical surveys and just generally give a comfort factor when lifting operations get complicated.

GETTING THE JOB DONE IN THE CASPIAN

NSL Caspian’s operations in Baku, Azerbiajan and Tiblisi, Georgia, (since October 2004) just go from strength to strength.  Our clients rely more and more on our ability to get the job done safely and efficiently by continually extending the scope of our services and using our safety awareness training materials extensively.

NEW IN INDONESIA

NSL is currently establishing itself in Indonesia, and once again, when other companies see what we can do for our existing clients, they want the same level of service and the resulting “feel-good factor”.  In response to the level of business anticipated in the region, NSL will soon be opening an office in Singapore to handle enquiries and subsequent work in South East Asia.

TOP OF THE RANGE RIGGING AND LIFTING COURSE GETS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

NSL’s popular Rigging and Lifting training and competence programme which is already endorsed and certified by one of the UK National Award bodies, EAL (Emta Awards Limited) is in the process of gaining International approvals for the American and international market.  We expect these approvals to be in place by May / June 2007.

LEVEL 3 COMPETENT RIGGER

At the request of existing experienced and competent riggers in the Oil and Gas Industry, we have at last created the Rigger - Level 3 competence qualification.  This is only available to those who have successfully completed Rigger - Level 2 and is predominately maths based so that riggers can do basic calculations and consequently take a job a lot further before having to go for help from a qualified Engineer.

LIFTING EQUIPMENT INSPECTORS COMPETENCE

The NSL / EAL Lifting Equipment Inspector training and competence modules 1 – 6 are now in place and have had a good take up especially with overseas inspectors looking for a nationally recognised qualification that is also up-to-date with modern lifting equipment and materials and relevant to Oilfield lifting equipment.