• ATR
• 12/12/2011

NEW TECHNOLOGY TO CUT RISK AND SAVE MILLIONS ACROSS ENERGY SECTORS

A system designed to eliminate the risk of workers developing debilitating hand-arm vibration (HAV) syndrome is being rolled out across the energy industry.

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome is an illness which many power tool users suffer from to a degree. It’s caused by the fact that power tools create vibration through the hands and arms damaging nerves and blood vessels, which can – if power tool use is not managed correctly - lead to hand-arm vibration syndrome and "vibration white finger", a condition which means sufferers have a loss of feeling and blood flow in the hand and arms. These conditions are permanent and debilitating for sufferers.

An initiative – led by ATR Group – to deliver improvements in HAV monitoring and recording offshore and onshore has many of the major operators and service firms across the UKCS buying into the need for better HAV management.

At its core, is a mission to protect workers across the Oil and Gas Industry.

Small electronic monitors, similar in principle to a pedometer or the accelerometers found in mobile phones, are attached to tools to ensure that exposure levels and usage periods are monitored in real time. – This removes the potential for human error, ensuring tool operators are not over-exposed. Use of this system also gives key information on tool usage, which companies can use to improve the safety and efficiency of their power tool fleet.

Managing director, Keith Moorhouse, says the move to encourage widespread introduction of HAV Meter across the energy sector followed the introduction of the system into ATR Group's internal QHSE setup.

"We brought HAV Meter into our own working environment and saw immediate results on both points and, once perfected, we sought to develop it to deliver what our clients needed.”

The issues service companies and other firms across the oil and gas sector have had in providing the right level of accurate information and appropriate support to their employees with respect to HAV management were exactly the same as ours.” says Moorhouse.

"When you evaluate the results the system produces, in terms of protecting your staff from overexposure to vibration, as well as its ability to eradicate over-estimation of job time which was also common in on and offshore environments, it eliminates a key area of concern. HAV may not kill someone, but it can ruin their lives.

"From a QHSE perspective you can immediately pinpoint when a team member is at risk of overexposure, and from a capital expenditure point of view, it also breaks down just how often – if at all – a certain piece of equipment is used. However, using an electronic dosimeter is not the answer to a company’s HAV management issues if used in isolation. The company still needs to focus on its management system and supporting policies.

Best of all, we’re empowering tool operators by removing the guesswork for them. It really supports the risk assessment process.

Ron Martin, Corporate HSE Advisor, Wood Group PSN says: "Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) Syndrome is incredibly debilitating – but with the right management it’s entirely preventable.

WGPSN has worked to build a market-leading HAV monitoring and recording system across all of its contracts over the last six years. Through working with ATR Group, we now have the opportunity to take that system to the next level. We’re taking the headache and the guess work out of HAV monitoring and recording for our teams. We can now focus on delivering tailored support to every vibratory tool operator based on accurate exposure information.

Above everything else, we’re protecting our people using the best system and procedures possible.

ATR Group provides clients in on- and offshore oil and gas, subsea, production and renewables with a range of services and tools for activities including sales and rental of lifting equipment, inspection and certification, and power generation.

Accredited to OHSAS 18001, ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 standard, ATR Group has right of approval for manufacturing products to DNV 2.7-1.

For further information contact ATR Group on 01224 222777