During offshore crane assisted personnel transfer operations the personnel transfer device can spin, (especially in high winds) possibly causing the stabilizer to wrap around the load line multiple times. When the transfer device is then set down on the deck the twisted rigging remains. When the transfer device is then put back into service and lifted under load; the wire rope load line stretches the rubber in small sections between the wraps and can possibly break the rubber bands and/or pull loose from the pin which joins the ends of the rubber band together. It is important to untwist the load line from the stabilizer before each lift to keep from happening.

No, for safety reasons, BPC has certified refurbishment companies all over the world.  Please check our refurbishment section for a listing of those companies.

Cost will vary depending on the condition of the unit but as a general rule somewhere between 40-50% of the price of a new one.

The X-904 was designed to be rebuilt and refurbished; personnel baskets were not. Do to their initial cost it also makes financial sense to refurbish the X-904. Conversely, personnel nets/baskets initial cost is much lower and its design is not conducive or economical for rebuilding.

The X-904 is manufactured with a variety of components such as wire rope, synthetic rope, floatation, cover materials etc. All of these components are affected by the harsh offshore environment they operate in. This wear would include general wear and tear, UV degradation as well as the salt water conditions offshore. These effected parts are all critical in the performance and operation of the X-904. The X-904 is a device that carries the most important “cargo” in the offshore community…people. The X-904 is designed to be inspected before each use then have a more thorough inspection every 6 months and be refurbished every two years (with the understanding that it had passed the daily and 6 month inspections). The two year refurbishment helps to insure these devices are more than ready to do the job they were designed for…Why two years? Because we have found that on average (based on over 60 years of manufacturing safety equipment for offshore use) two years in the field is the maximum time that we can recommend these kind of lifting devises operate without critical parts being replaced.

Our policies were written for the X-904 based on “normal” usage. From time to time we have come upon these circumstances where the customer does not regularly use their X-904 in their day to day operations.

We don’t change or alter our policies/recommendations because to do so would add subjectivity to the refurbishment and maintenance equation of the product. Adding this variable, we would then be in the position to have to look at every X-904 and subjectively say whether it is time or not to refurb or be replaced. To do this (in our opinion) would create a safety concern about the integrity of this most important product. If one mistake is made, there is a good chance that injuries or even lives would be affected. Being consistent on our part is critical and this has resulted in never having a structural failure on the X-904 in its history.

It is also important to note that we are not an enforcement agency, we only “recommend” how our product is used and maintained. If the customer chooses not to follow these Recommendations, it is up to them. An analogy would be when buying a car the manufacturer has recommendations for changing the oil, tire rotation etc. It is up to the buyer to determine if they follow them, even if the car stays in the garage.

Just one more thing worth noting, all of our X-904’s have life left in them when they come in for refurbishment. The last personnel lift these devices make should not be the last one that they are “capable” of making.

The X-904 is rated at 300 lbs per person. IE: The X-904 4 person has a WLL of 1200 lbs.

The In Service Date is the date when the X-904 is removed from its packaging. This determines when the 6 month inspection and 2 year refurbishment should take place.  The In Service Date will need to be noted in the operations manual included with the purchase of the X-904.

In the event the In-Service Date was not noted when unwrapped, you can use the following dates for your records.

1. In-Service Date – The date the device was unwrapped, if not the follow date will apply.
2. Good Receiving Date (GRN Date) – The date the customer received the goods from their forwarding agent, if not the follow date will apply.
3. Invoice Date (From Distributor to Customer) or Delivery Order Date (From Distributor to Customer) from a DO or Invoice, if not the follow date will apply.
4. Purchase Order Date (Customer PO to Distributor), if not the follow will apply.
5. Distributor Receiving Date from Billy Pugh, if not the follow will apply.
6. Manufacturing Date

Some companies require work vests only and others use Type 1 only for X-904 transfers-it really depends on the culture of the company and what they feel is most effective for their operation and personnel. Have a PFD that is sturdy and has a convenient place in the front of the jacket to attach the quick release carabineer.  The PFD should also be regularly inspected for excessive wear or UV degradation.  BPC does not recommend anything too bulky (in that) it can interfere with moving in and out of the X-904 inner riding area.  We also recommend whatever PFD is used, that it be emphasized to wear the vest/jacket securely around the passenger.

Yes. You can download it here.

Our policy and Recommended Practice has always been that these units need to be refurbished every two years unless they are damaged or do not pass the Daily or 6 Month inspection with a lifespan of 8 years total on the aluminum center section.

The center section of the X-904 is made from aluminum. This is so that the X-904 will be as light as possible. This light weight feature is important so that in the event that someone is struck on deck with the transfer basket that they will be much less likely to be injured or knocked over. Aluminum is great for this reason but it does “cycle” over time and lose some strength. After 8 years in the field (new – plus 3 refurbs) we recommend that they be replaced. It’s important to realize that these devices will still have “life” left in them in the vast majority of cases when they are taken out of service. This is good as the last lift they make should not be the last lift that they are “capable” of making. We always have to err on the conservative side due the “cargo” that our products carry. We cannot be 99.9% sure, if we have only one failure (which we have not) then the results will be catastrophic, injuries will most certainly occur and lives may even be lost. We are extremely proud of the safety record of the X-904. Diamond Offshore helped us design the X-904 and the last testing that was done before we went into production was on the Ocean Confidence.

Most offshore crane operations have a maximum of 30 knot winds. All of the variables, in this document, should be taken into account when determining the maximum wind and sea conditions for all offshore crane personnel transfer.