German Pilot Team starts Offshore Preparations
On September 25th, the whole team attended a sea survival training as well as a series of first aid courses at the OffTEC training centre. Next to safety-related action packed exercises, the participants did not miss out on the fun.
Working offshore means to be dependent on your co-workers more than ever. Especially in distress at sea, a single decision or action might decide about life or death, as help may be hours away. As an old hand in the offshore business and 25 years of experience, the Research and Development Centre of the University of Applied Sciences in Kiel GmbH (FuE) demands various offshore trainings for every employee who faces services at the FINO3 research platform in the North Sea. Thus, the German Pilot team started their offshore education this fall, to familiarize themselves with basic knowledge of maritime safety in theory and in practice, such as the correct behaviour in emergency situations, current legislation, the use of life-saving equipment and scenario-based practical survival exercises at sea. During the sea survival and first aid training courses the participants learned about how to survive on a life raft, avoid hypothermia, conduct man overboard manoeuvres and life revitalisation measures.
“You do feel safer and more aware about how you behave and act on a boat or an offshore platform, while you train controlled hand movements and standardized work procedures. Hopefully we won’t ever need them”, the FuE team says. These courses did not only prepare the team for the challenges that might come with offshore activities but also contributed to a great team spirit.
Figure 1: The German Pilot team (Left: Julian, Maria. Right: Christine, Eva, German project lead), equipped with lifejacket, survival suit and face mask, at the OffTEC training centre.
Figure 2: Offshore engineer Julian Pforth (German Pilot team), prepared for the exercise “marine crew transfer from CTV (crew transport vessel) to TP (transition piece).
Figure 3: German Pilot team practicing “man overboard” manoeuvre.
Figure 4: Exercise “Triggering life jackets and swimming on you back”.
