Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) confirmed it is supporting the roll-out of a special protective face covering designed for workers traveling to offshore installations in the UK continental shelf.
The covering can be best described as a “snood” or “buff” and is better suited for helicopter travel because it is easier to pull away from the mouth if emergency breathing equipment is required, it is more comfortable to wear, communication is easier, and the risk of foreign-object-debris damage is eliminated (i.e., objects being sucked into a helicopters engine intakes).
“All workers traveling offshore will be issued with a protective snood following their routine temperature check at the heliport,” said OGUK HSE Director Trevor Stapleton. “The snood will then be worn in the heliport and for the duration of travel both to and from the installation only. They are single use, and personnel will be issued with a new snood for each trip offshore.”
The snood is for use on the flight only and forms part of a range of measures to support the safety offshore workforce.
“The snood represents just one of the barriers being employed to mitigate and manage COVID-19 across our essential workforce,” Stapleton said. “Robust checks prior to mobilization, temperature testing, and testing are also in use alongside additional measures to protect the workforce whilst offshore including social distancing, staggered mealtimes, and, where possible, single-person cabin occupancy.”
OGUK has been working on the use of the snood for the offshore workforce through its Pandemic Steering Group. It has been tested for surface and underwater escape purposes, and its use is endorsed by the four helicopter companies operating in the North Sea. The process will be managed by Survitec, which is procuring supplies for use by the offshore industry at all helicopter departure locations, with guidance on the use of the snoods issued by OGUK expected soon.
“After OGUK approached us as the primary supplier of PPE and safety equipment to the aviation industry, we identified the Virustatic Shield as an appropriate product for people travelling on all UK Category A and Category B helicopter flights,” said Ross Johnston, Survitec’s energy sales manager. “We are pleased to support the industry by sourcing, procuring, and supplying the Virustatic Shield to help reduce the risk for our customers and keep crews, passengers, and offshore personnel safe.”