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BILLY PUGH COMPANY'S RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR
CRANE SUSPENDED X-904 OFFSHORE PERSONNEL TRANSFERS
Purpose
Purpose
This recommended practice is intended to assist all offshore employers in the development of safe work practices relative to the task of transferring personnel to-and-from offshore facilities utilizing a Billy Pugh Co. X-904 personnel transfer device. This recommended practice addresses the minimum requirements promulgated by both regulation, industry and refined for the use of this unit.
Each offshore employer is encouraged to follow these recommendations, and to proactively modify or supplement them with additional beneficial practices or procedures, which may be more appropriate for the employer's equipment, or environmental conditions.
Scope
This recommended practice is intended for application
by offshore employers working in a marine offshore
environment who transfer, move, or transport their
workforce by Billy Pugh X-904 personnel carrier.
The elements of this recommended practice should
be applied as appropriate with due consideration
made for any additional special hazards identified
by the employer as a result of a thorough Job
Hazard Analysis (JHA).
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the offshore employer
to ensure this recommended practice is applied
appropriately within their organizations. Management
of offshore personnel transfer safety should be
an integral component of the employers existing
Safety and Environmental Management Plan. (SEMP)
A systematic management process used to identify
and control safety and environmental hazards in
design, construction, start-up, operation, inspection,
and maintenance as promulgated in API RP-75.
Definitions:
Rigging - The loadlines, master links,
safety slings, and hardware that attach the personnel
carrier to the crane hook or block device.
Qualified Person - A person designated
by the employer who has the experience and formalized
training to safely operate the crane, rigging,
and associated lifting devices assigned at the
work location.
Qualified Inspector - A person so designated
by the employer who by reason of appropriate experience
and training, in addition to meeting the requirements
of a qualified person, has attended formal training
in inspection, maintenance, and troubleshooting
of cranes, rigging, and lifting devices.
Case for Action
Analysis of available accident/injury data
reveals that offshore personnel transfers are
not involved in high rates of accidents relative
to the number of transfers carried out worldwide.
But due to the sheer number of personnel basket
transfers, the potential does exist for incidents
to occur. Safe and consistent methods need to
be incorporated into the procedures of those utilizing
"crane assisted" transfer devices. A
safety system, which addresses the specific areas
of effective management relative to offshore personnel
transfers, will be required so that industry can
sustain and maximize overall safety performance
while showing a process of continuous improvement.
The X-904 is the next step in this continual improvement
in boat to rig crane transfers.
Safety System Elements
The following are considered to be key elements
of an effective safety system for management of
crane suspended offshore personnel transfers.
ELEMENT 1: Minimum Training Requirements
An on-site competency based orientation &
JSA on the safe use of personnel carrier devices
should be administered by a qualified person before
employees or visitors unfamiliar with the device
are loaded or lifted. At a minimum the following
elements should be included in this orientation
curriculum:
Safe loading & unloading
procedures
Crane actions, movements, and signals
Body positions, pinch points,
and personal stability
Personnel baggage loading procedures
Personnel protective equipment
requirements
Exceptions or anomalies
to any of the above
In addition to the above training elements,
the qualified person should ascertain whether
any persons are feeling ill, suffering from
vertigo, or have any anxiety regarding the transfer.
These individuals should be discouraged from
using this form of personnel transfer. The exception
would be using the X-904 stretcher capability
as described in the safety CD provided with
the unit.
ELEMENT 2: Personnel Carrier Rigging Configuration
(See Figure 1.0)
The following rigging configurations are
recommended for all crane assisted personnel
carrier devices:
Double load lines:
*Billy Pugh personnel nets as well as the X-904
have a backup fiber rope safety line contained
within the stabilizer unit.
Snag Resistant Tag Line
A semi-rigid, snag resistant tag line consisting
of a poly-dacron rope coated with a slip resistant
polyester resin specifically manufactured for
this purpose, should be affixed to all personnel
carriers. Tag lines should have a minimum length
of 10' (3.05 m). Tag line should be attached
to either the center deck lashing point, or
the outside bottom platform ring in such a manner
that minimizes tag line damage when carrier
is resting on a surface and attached with a
minimum 5/8" (190 mm) bolt type anchor
shackle. Personnel transfer device tag lines
should be identified by a high visibility color
or reflective external coating. These tag lines
can be obtained by specifying “Billy Pugh
tag line followed by the length. A normal length
for these units is 15 ft.
ELEMENT 3: Inspection Procedures
All inspections should be performed by a
qualified person and should always incorporate
an operator's pre-use inspection.
The next two pages of this “Best Practices”
include both the daily and the semi-annual inspection
procedures for the X-904. Plastic laminated
versions have also been included with this booklet
for your convenience.
ELEMENT 4: Operational/Administrative Practices
The following minimum lifting practices
are recommended for all crane assisted personnel
transfer net devices:
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Any offshore facility making
personnel transfers with a personnel carrier
should have a written procedure for this
task. |
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A pre-use inspection should
be conducted prior to any personnel carrier
transfer. |
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Cranes assigned to personnel
lifting duties should be suitable for this
purpose per relevant API spec. |
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Crane operators assigned to
personnel lifting duties should be certified
and competent to perform this task per 46
CFR 109.527. |
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A snag resistant tag line
should be affixed to all personnel carriers. |
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Crane hooks used for personnel
transfers must have a positive locking latch. |
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Only approved personnel carriers
should be used for lifting personnel per
API RP spec. Personnel carriers should not
be used as a workbasket or cargo net. |
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Personnel carriers should
be legibly marked with the maximum number
of passengers. |
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The X-904 is equipped with
areas designed for light luggage. Luggage
should be stowed before the lift is made
and easily accessible for debarkation. No
large or heavy items (bigger than the storage
area) should be allowed on the X-904. These
items should be sent up via cargo basket. |
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Personnel carriers should
not be utilized in weather, wind, or sea
conditions that the qualified person considers
to be unsafe. |
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Before any attempt is made
to lift personnel with a carrier, clear
instructions should be given to all persons
involved. |
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No person suffering from acute
seasickness or vertigo shall be transported
by personnel carrier. If the transfer is
necessary, the affected person should be
put inside a stokes stretcher and the stretcher
shackled to the rigging in the area provided
inside the unit. (Someone should ride up
with this individual on the transfer as
well). |
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Any individual has the right
to refuse transfer by a personnel basket. |
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All personnel riding on a
personnel carrier should wear an approved
life vest or life preserver. An approved
Type I illuminated PFD should be required
for all transfers conducted at night. Type
1’s are also a good idea for rough
sea transfers. |
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All personnel riding The X-904
carrier should stand on the inside of the
unit and grasp the inner rigging. Passenger
forearms should be interlocked. |
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If crane operator’s view
of the primary signalman is obstructed,
the personnel carrier should not be moved
until alternative communication or signal
devices are placed in service. |
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A designated primary landing
zone should be marked in a safe area as
determined by a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA). |
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When transferring personnel,
the personnel carrier should be lifted only
high enough to clear obstructions. It should
then be gently lowered to the deck. |
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A loaded personnel carrier
should not be raised or lowered directly
over a vessel. |
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The crane operator may refuse
to lift any person who does not comply with
the operator’s instructions. |
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An experienced escort should
be provided for persons who are not confident
performing a personnel carrier transfer. |
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Injured, ill, or unconfident
persons may ride in a sitting position,
on the inside of the personnel carrier,
with a qualified person as an escort. |
Figure 1.0
References
American Petroleum Institute (API)
“API RP-2D Recommended Practice for Operation
& Maintenance of Offshore Cranes”
International Association Of Drilling Contractors
(North Sea Chapter)
IMCA SEL 08/01 “Transfer Of Personnel by
Basket on the UK Continental Shelf”
Moxie Media Corporation
“Personnel Basket Safety Video Training
Series”
June 27, 2001
Issue 1 Rev 0
7
International Marine Contractors Association
(IMCA)
“Task Risk Assessment Study 8/2000”
National Research Council, Assembly Of Engineering
Marine Board
“Committee on Assessment of Safety of OCS
Activities”
Billy Pugh Company, Inc.
“Procedures for Maintenance & Inspection
of Personnel Baskets”
Kennedy Wire Rope & Sling Company
“Procedures for Inspection & Maintenance
of Wire Rope Slings and Rigging”
Department Of The Interior, Minerals Management
Service
“Safety Alert No.190-1/22/00 & Safety
Alert No. 193-2/28/01”
Global Drilling Leadership Initiative
“Recommended Practice #6”
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