A Scaffolder has told newspapers how he escaped death when a helicopter he was in plunged into the sea, killing four people. Paul Sharp, 48, from Hull, was one of the survivors when the Super Puma L2 hurtled uncontrollably into the North Sea.
Mr Sharp tells his shocking and thought provoking story to the Hull Daily Mail :
Mr Sharp, an offshore scaffolder, was one of 18 on the helicopter, which was returning to Aberdeen from the Borgsten Dolphin platform.
The aircraft was making a stop at Sumburgh Airport to refuel, which is at the tip of the Shetland Islands.
Scaffolder Paul Sharp tell his story to the Hull Daily Mail
“As we approached Sumburgh the pilot said there was ten minutes to landing,” said Mr Sharp.
“I tightened my lap strap and sat up. But that ten minutes became 15 and then 20 and we were all looking at each other asking, ‘what’s the craic?’
“All of a sudden we broke cloud level and there was a whooshing noise.
“Then there was a clicking, like a bone was breaking.
“The helicopter turned on its side and just fell out of the sky.”
The helicopter plunged 600ft into the water, 2.4 nautical miles from the airport.
“It landed on its side and buckled and started to turn over,” said Mr Sharp. “It instantly started to take on water.
“It all happened so quickly, there were about four seconds from the click to it hitting the sea. You didn’t have time to think.
“There was a lot of panic. I knew the protocol and I knew to stay in my seat until it had fully inverted, but a lot of people had taken their belts off and they were floating around.
“The helicopter was full of water and I thought about dying. I felt calm. I can remember thinking, ‘at least I have life insurance’.”
With the helicopter full of water, and everyone trapped under it, Mr Sharp knew if he did not get out soon he would die.
His survival instincts kicked in.
He said: “I had hold of the tab on the window, I pulled but it came to bits. I was pushing the window out with my elbow but it wouldn’t move.
“I punched it two or three times and it popped out. I undid my belt and was straight out.”
Thanks to Mr Sharp’s calm thinking, another four people were able to escape from that window.
“When I broke to the surface to take a breath, a massive swell hit and a load of aviation fluid went into my mouth,” he said.
“I could see someone floating out and I grabbed them, but they were obviously dead. I pulled my life jacket, but it failed to inflate. I started to manually inflate it and it went up.
“There were four or five of us in the water at that time and we were drifting away from the helicopter.
“We tried to get together and buddy up, but one guy was seriously injured and the swell broke us up.”
Mr Sharp said his immersion suit, which is supposed to keep him dry, warm and afloat, began to fill with water.
“It shouldn’t have,” he said. “But I must have ripped it on a rota blade when I came out of the helicopter.”
Mr Sharp continued to put on his emergency equipment, including balaclava and gloves.
But the strobe light, torch and personal location beacon on his life jacket were not working.
He was alone and drifting further from the wreckage.
“I thought ‘I’ll turn round once more to see how far away I am’.
“I looked around and I was miles away.”
Poor visibility from misty weather conditions, coupled with strong tides and the location of the helicopter near cliffs, made the rescue operation hazardous and Mr Sharp had already been in the water 40 minutes.
“As I turned round a swell came up and as it did I saw the rescue helicopter. It was winching someone up and I remember hoping they would see me next. Thankfully, they did, and came over to get me,” he said.
The men winched from the sea were taken to a triage unit at Sumburgh airport and warmed up before being transferred to hospital.
Mr Sharp said: “I remember calling my wife and saying, ‘I’ve been in a bit of an accident’. She said, ‘what have you done to the car?’
“I told her the helicopter had crashed. She turned on Sky News and it was all over there. She was devastated.”
Despite plunging 600ft from the sky, Mr Sharp’s only external injuries from the accident, on August 23, were a hematoma stretching from his knee to his hip from the impact and scrapes and bruising on his knuckles, where he punched the window through.
He was back with wife Jean and daughter Amelia, ten, at their home two days after the crash.
“I came home and hugged them. There were tears,” said Mr Sharp.
“I said, ‘I’m OK, I’m alive’.
“Every day I think, ‘I’m lucky to be alive’, and that’s why I don’t take anything for granted now.
“Everything can be fixed. There’s no rush.
“Trivial things that used to bother me don’t anymore. I see life in a different way.”
Source : http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Holderness-Road-man-escaped-death-helicopter/story-20093886-detail/story.html
Cape Australia Onshore has been awarded the Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project in Western Australia valued at over AUD $80 (£45) million.
Cape plc is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary Cape Australia Onshore has entered into an agreement with Bechtel, one of the world’s most respected engineering, project management, and construction companies, for the supply of Scaffold Erection and Dismantling Services on the Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project in Western Australia.
The contract, valued at over AUD $80 (£45) million expects to create 135 new Australian jobs, all located onsite at Ashburton North, 12 kilometres west of Onslow in Western Australia. Jobs include approximately 95 skilled scaffold erectors supported by 40 supervision, safety, administration and management roles.
Joe Oatley, Chief Executive of Cape plc, said:
“We are delighted to announce the award of this contract which will create new local employment opportunities and recognises the management and expertise of our recently reshaped Australian business. Building on Cape’s considerable world-class LNG construction expertise, this contract will provide a solid base of project activity for our Australian business.”
“We look forward to working closely with our client, and supporting them in delivering safe, efficient and productive construction activities on one of Australia’s largest resource construction projects.”
About the Wheatstone Project:
The Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project is one of Australia’s largest resource projects. Located at Ashburton North, 12 kilometres west of Onslow in Western Australia, the project will consist of two LNG trains with a combined capacity of 8.9 million tonnes per annum and a domestic gas plant. The Wheatstone Project is a joint venture between Australian subsidiaries of Chevron, Apache Corporation, Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC), Shell and Kyushu Electric Power Company (Kyushu) together with PE Wheatstone Pty Ltd (part owned by TEPCO).
About Chevron Australia:
Chevron is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies and through its Australian subsidiaries, has been present in Australia for more than 60 years. With the ingenuity and commitment of more than 4,000 people, Chevron Australia leads the development of the Gorgon and Wheatstone natural gas projects; manages its equal one-sixth interest in the North West Shelf Venture; and operates Australia’s largest onshore oilfield on Barrow Island. Chevron is also a significant investor in exploration offshore northwest Australia and onshore in the Nappamerri Trough, central Australia. Chevron’s Perth-based Global Technology Centre provides technology support and solutions to the company’s operations in Australia and around the world.www.chevronaustralia.com
About Bechtel:
Bechtel is among the most respected engineering, project management, and construction companies in the world. We stand apart for our ability to get the job done right—no matter how big, how complex, or how remote. Bechtel operates through five global business units that specialize in civil infrastructure; power generation, communications, and transmission; mining and metals; oil, gas, and chemicals; and government services. Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 22,000 projects in 140 countries on all seven continents. Today, our 53,000 employees team with customers, partners, and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 50 countries. For more information about Bechtel visit www.bechtel.com
The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has published its 2014 Yearbook, with the imminent launch of it’s TG20:13 guidance taking center stage.
The annual yearbook features 90 pages of scaffolding news from it’s members over the past year, and CISRS training information.
In this years edition though the NASC has gone to great lengths in promoting it’s latest edition of the Technical Guidance for tube and fitting scaffolding (TG20:13), with an expert guide article that hints at what is to come once launched.
Rumoured to of cost 1ooK+ for the development of the new guidance, TG20:13 takes the form of four distinctive guides including two new colour illustrated books and new revolutionary software called the “eGuide”.
The eGuide aims to make it easy to check scaffolds for TG20 compliance (using new ‘TG20 Compliance Sheets’) and avoids the need for costly design with many types of basic scaffolds.
Incoming President of The NASC, Kevin Ward states:
“I know that members are eagerly awaiting the publication of the latest version of TG20 as are other interested parties such as the HSE, UKCG members & scaffold designers. Those who have seen the document have been amazed by the quality of the work. TG20:13 is not a rewrite or a revision; it is a completely new suite of documents which will be published simultaneously. The size and breadth of the documents have meant that it has taken longer to complete than initially hoped. It will though be worth the wait – the new version of TG20 will see a ‘step change’ in our industry with regard to the design of tube & fitting scaffolds.”
The article also features “What’s new in TG20:13” that highlights some definitive changes from previous versions of the guidance that include:
Single bay facade bracing now been proven to be sufficient
Structural transoms not required for unclad independent scaffolding or most debris-netted scaffolds
Ledgers can be joined anywhere within a bay, (proven by calculation)
Board transoms can be spaceded without reference to standards
Local firm ITP supplies debris netting on East End of York Minster to protect visitors, craftsmen and the historic materials.
Visitors to York may be disappointed that part of the glory of its main attraction is currently concealed by an elaborate shroud of scaffolding. In an unconventional partnership of craftsmanship and cutting edge science, the future of York Minster is being assured by preserving its past.
Bolstered by a generous grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, York Minster Revealed is a £20million project spanning 5 years. The ambitious plans will transform the visitor experience and include interactive galleries and underground chambers designed to showcase the Minster’s historical significance.
Far from shielding the public from this renovation process, the transformation is accessible via interactive displays inside the Minster’s East End and through a series of events. These include behind the scenes tours incorporating a lift to the top of the scaffold, and for the less adventurous, an opportunity to meet the experts and watch the intricate carving and glass restoration at close range.
With the public having access to the Minster throughout the works, a significant focus has been placed on health and safety. To protect visitors, craftsmen and the historic materials, debris netting supplied by Easingwold Based Industrial Textiles and Plastics (ITP) is attached to the scaffold encasing the East End, home of the intricate Great East Window.
Commenting on their involvement in the project, Marc van der Voort Managing Director at ITP said,
“As a local company, we are proud to be involved in the renovation and preservation of such an important piece of our heritage. Our Powerclad Debris Netting is a knitted net incorporating button hole eyelets along the length of the roll for fastening to the scaffold structure. Most relevant to this project is its capacity to improve site safety by reducing the risk of debris and small tools falling outside the scaffold”.
With the renovation due for completion in 2016 there is still a long way until York Minster is finally revealed, but in the meantime the chance to watch the masons, carvers and glaziers in action is really too good to miss.
The GKR team currently working on the prestigious London, South Bank Tower development continue to prove safety is their top priority by winning the monthly safety award.
The team won the award for their continuous effort to raise safety standards by successfully and safely installing 3000 square metres of scaffold 300 feet above street level.
The GKR high rise team used tethered tools, which GKR introduced as a mandatory requirement in 2011, and tethered fittings/tubes to complete the job safely and minimise any risk of falling materials.
The Kent based firm is an industry leader with a highly motivated workforce, providing safe scaffolding access to major construction contractors throughout London and the South East.
GKR have been appointed scaffold contractor on many a prestigious projects throughout London including, The Shard, Covent Garden, Canary Wharf and the O2.
JECS Access Limited`s offshore division which operates its business activities across Europe from its offices in the United Kingdom & Germany has been accepted into the European Wind Energy Association after the EWEA`s membership board met and approved the companies application.
JECS Access provides its services of Offshore Scaffolding Access, Encapsulated Access & Encapsulated Enclosures to the offshore wind industry backed with the experience and excellent track record of delivering quality and practical solutions to their clients. Their offshore division is also known as ”JECS Offshore Access Europe”.
Brett Whiting, Managing Director of JECS Access Ltd said: ”We are extremely pleased to be accepted as members of the EWEA and look forward to growing our business within the Offshore Wind Industry. With this Industry being built by Clients, Specialists, Companies, Contractors & Personnel from all over Europe, although exciting and interesting, is difficult to cover in terms of marketing and business development. We are sure that the EWEA will narrow that gap and we look forward to exhibiting our services at their conferences & exhibitions, bringing European business`s together.”
As part of the planned construction of the new power plant, the Peri Up Rosett Flex has proved to be extremely adaptable during the assembly phase – in so doing, it has fulfilled the highest requirements regarding the installation of the working platforms. The fact that the modular scaffolding can be assembled with the guardrail in advance means that the safety level required during scaffold erection is already guaranteed to a high degree.
The 1,600-MW Eemshaven power plant in the Dutch province of Groningen is a highly efficient coal-fired power station complete with a switchable biomass combustion facility, and is equipped with the latest cleaning and filter technology. The direct coastal location on the North Sea, and the close proximity to a port, provide ideal conditions for the supply of cooling water as well as required quantities of fuel. Eemshaven is deemed an important component regarding the country´s energy supply due to its flexible and weather-independent production of electricity, especially in combination with the utilisation of wind and solar energy. The installation is scheduled to commence operations in 2014 after a 4-year long construction period.
Safe working conditions
The two electric filters for flue gas desulphurisation are 64 m long and 35 m high respectively. For safely executed welding and insulation work in accordance with the highest quality standards, working platforms and access means were provided on the basis of the Peri Up Rosett Flex modular scaffolding system. An externally-fitted working scaffold with integrated 75-cm flights of stairs was used for the final assembly of altogether eight inlet ducts. The scaffold solution could be optimally adjusted through its metric grid arrangement to suit the up to 4.50 m cantilevered funnel shape – in part, suspended from a gallows structure comprised of Peri Up system components.
Assembly of the modular scaffolding for the 35 m high working scaffold was carried out extremely safely using the guardrail in advance thus making rope protection unnecessary. In addition, the Peri scaffolding solution took into account the existing steel structure as well as those walkways already mounted, and was easily adapted to the structural conditions.
Spatial adjustment
Using the Peri Up grid system is a great advantage especially for the spatial scaffolding assembly of the filter funnels: scaffolding on the existing steel structure can easily be modified – for optimum adaptation to the plant components on which work is to be carried out, without requiring the assembly of a time-consuming tube-and-coupler construction. For this, the scaffold bays can be divided horizontally and vertically as required with the help of standard components. As a result, the bay lengths of the lower sections are generously dimensioned thus ensuring easy accessibility and with a minimal use of materials. In the area of the structural elements that are to be worked on – and which require geometrical adjustments – 300 cm scaffold bays, for example, are divided into three sections with 75 cm, 150 cm and 75 cm widths so that construction work can continue upwards with reduced bay widths.
High level of safety in industrial construction
As a rule, industrial buildings and installations fulfil functional and economic requirements. This also includes the construction of power plants for the generation of electricity as well as their expansion, maintenance and modernization. Planning and execution comply with the requirements of existing and future production processes – often associated with strict safety regulations. Furthermore, at the same time, completing the planned shell construction work and realising all technical equipment requirements require close coordination of the construction progress throughout.
Here, in addition to execution drawings and proof of stability, Peri supports its customers with required approvals, type tests as well as assembly instructions. Approvals provide – as a result of consistent implementation of a quality management system – the necessary legal basis for the use of scaffolding. Moreover, system-related assembly instructions contain all the information and details that are required for fast and safe installation. Due to its worldwide operations, Peri provides a comprehensive range of technical documentation in many languages.
A long run of scaffolding collapsed outside shops in Francis Road, Leyton, London on Monday as a storm battered the UK
The length of the collapse was around 100 yards which caused damage to parked cars and blocked the road for hours will NOT be investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The HSE have confirmed to a local newspaper that because there were no injuries they would not take any action.
A spokeswoman also said the decision had been made after the HSE made contact with Waltham Forest Council’s building control department.
The collapse happened just before 7am.
Shopkeepers and residents say the area is busy and it was lucky no one was injured.
The scaffolding was being used by council contractors to refurbish shop fronts.
Do you think this was the right decision to make by the HSE ? Let us know in the comments below.
Scaffolding suppliers George Roberts have today announced that they are NOT in the closing stages of a deal with Altrad.
The announcement was posted on the company’s website after we published an article with unconfirmed reports that the company was closing in on a deal with Altrad Group.
The Announcement from George Roberts reads:
Please be advised publication on a certain website and rumours regarding the purchase of George Roberts (North West) Ltd by the Altrad Group, being in the late stages of completion are unsubstantiated and untrue.
We continue to be an independent supplier of Access and Scaffold equipment.
Altrad continues it’s huge spending spree within our industry as the firms eyes are now set on scaffolding suppliers, George Roberts Ltd
Scaffmag has received unconfirmed reports that the French company Altrad is now in it’s final stages of the deal between the two companies.
George Roberts are one of the largest independent scaffolding suppliers of its kind, the company has over the last few years invested heavily into the business facilitating growth through expansion and business change.
If the reports are confirmed about the acquisition of George Roberts, Altrads portfolio will be busting at the seams as previous UK acquisitions include: BarOmix, Belle Group, Beaver 84, NSG, Generation, MTD, Trad and recently Spectra Scaffolding.
