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Introduction

Clients and the Contractor have a joint duty of care under Health & Safety to ensure that they provide a safe place of work for all Company contract and subcontractor’s personnel.  A number of specialist audits and inspections will be required to confirm that equipment and vessels required for diving operations are fit for its intended purpose prior to mobilisation.  Qualified and competent third-party auditors should carry out the audits against recognised industry standards for diving operations.

It is the duty of the “Competent Person” or his delegate to ensure that all third party auditors are qualified and competent to undertake audits on the Companies behalf.

DP, MARINE, AND HELIDECK AUDITS

DYNAMIC POSITIONING SYSTEM SURVEYS

ROV Support Vessels (ROVSVs) and Diving Support Vessels (DSVs) use position
reference systems (eg Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS) Tautwire, HPR and Artemis) to control the vessel's actual location with respect to the seabed. There are three classifications of ROVSV/DSV.

In general terms, Class 1 vessels are mainly used for open water work outside 500m safety zones, for example, pipeline ROV survey. No diver operations are permitted from a Class 1 vessel. In situations where Class 1 vessels are required to work near platforms, they are only permitted to operate in a blow-off position relative to the prevailing weather. They are also subject to a minimum stand-off position, the specific distance applied being vessel dependent.

Diver operations are only permitted on Class 2 and 3 vessels. Class 2 vessels can operate within 500m safety zones and in the near vicinity of platforms in any position, relative to the prevailing weather conditions and subject to their DP capability being audited. Restrictions, as to minimum stand-off, in a blow-on position may be imposed depending on the vessel.

Prior to any Dynamically Positioned (DP) vessel operating on client locations, it may be required to carry out an audit to ensure that the DP system meets the guidelines laid down by the Department of Trade and Industry, and that it is fit for the purpose for which it is proposed. The need for survey is also dependant on any previous survey report, or intelligence information received during the period since the last survey.

HELIDECK AUDITS

The helideck, helideck personnel and associated equipment should be audited annually to ensure that all facilities are in compliance with CAP 437 and any items included from client HLO Manual.
This pre-contract Aviation Facilities Safety and Integrity Audit approval is valid for 12
months, providing there are not safety critical/non-compliance items outstanding as a result of the audit, and that a review of Helideck crew personnel qualifications and associated qualifications has been conducted.

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

The vessel owner should provide FMEA documentation identifying the reliability of the DP system. The purpose of an FMEA is to give a description of the various failure modes, which include:

• Description of failure and effect of each mode on other items within the system, and on the DP system as a whole.
• Functional breakdown of the DP system or subsystem into blocks with each block described.
• Description of each physically and functionally independent item and the associated failure mode.

Dynamic Positioning (DP) Audit

DPDSV’s are audited in accordance with the IMCA “Guidelines for the Design and Operations of Dynamically positioned Vessels”

This requires an experienced, qualified and competent third party marine auditor who is familiar with auditing and operational requirements relating to dynamically positioned diving support vessels (DPDSV’s).

The purpose of the audit is to satisfy the Company that the DSV is safe, suitable and ‘fit for purpose’ in accordance with Company DP Vessel Operations Procedure.

The DP Audit consists of a detailed survey of the vessels position keeping systems related equipment and personnel.  Followed by a series of function tests and trials designed to confirm the capabilities of both the system and the operators.

As a general guide, the audit should include the following:

• Verification of the DP Operator’s experience and qualifications in accordance with the criteria laid down by IMCA Competence, Assurance and Assessment Scheme.
• Verification that the vessel meets the requirements as specified by IMCA Guidelines for the Design and Operation of Dynamically Positioned Vessels.Confirm DP check-lists and procedures are adequate
• Witness the vessel set-up trials

Diving System Audit

Diving system audits shall be carried out in accordance with the industry standard AODC 052 document DESIGN.

In most cases the Diving Contractor will have an annual DESIGN audit, which has been carried out by competent independent auditor.  Providing this audit is in date and will remain so for the duration of the project, the results of that audit shall be made available to the client and /or assigned auditors.

If the Contractor’s audit document is available and is not more that 6 months old, the audit can, at the discretion of the client or assigned auditors, be reduced, but as a minimum, should cover the following:

• Certification
• Lifting Equipment
• Gauges
• Hyperbaric Lifeboat (last launched)
• Air Diving equipment
• Analysers
• Equipment report logs
• Gas sample reports
• Bail out bottle
• Equipment breakdown reports

Surface Oriented (Air) Diving System Audit

The surface design system will be audited in accordance with AODC 052 DESIGN Document Volume II Part 2 “Surface Oriented Diving Systems, Air and Nitrox”.

For diving systems based on installations, ‘installation’ related legislation would apply in addition to the normal diving regulations.

This will include but not be restricted to:

• Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Offshore Installation and Wells (Design and Construction) Regulations SII996-913
• Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998

It is the responsibility of the client marine/production dept to confirm and agree any additional requirements with the relevant OIM. These shall be passed on to the contractor at the earliest opportunity.

Great care is needed in the planning and execution of shallow water, or surface orientated diving operations.  The related hazards/risks must be assessed.  Assessment shall include, but not be restricted to: -

• De-selection of thrusters and the resulting reduction in the vessels station keeping capability.
• Divers’ umbilical lengths in relation to thrusters etc.
• Method of deploying, monitoring and controlling diver’s umbilical’s to prevent contact with vessel thrusters or propulsion units.

Marine & Safety Audit

This audit is required to ensure that the vessel meets the requirements of IMO and those specified for the ‘Certificate of Class’.  This is a specialised field and should be carried out by a competent third-party marine auditor.
The auditor should report any con-conformance as soon as possible to the Company representative, the Vessel Master and the Contractor Senior Representative.

Any DSV Helideck, associated personnel and equipment should be audited annually to ensure that all facilities are compliant with CAP 437.

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Audit

ROV audits can be split into two categories:

• Safety Audit
• Technical Audit

Generally these are combined with the dive system audits and carried out by the specialist auditor at the same time.  However on occasions it may be necessary for the on-site client representative to carry out a safety audit on either a DSV or platform based ROV system.
Standard practice is for a ‘third party’ audit company to use their own detailed propriety document.

The basic requirement should include as a minimum:

1. Sighting of the ROV deployment system. To reduce the risk of the ROV fouling divers umbilical’s, The ROV deployment system should not be in the vicinity of the diver deployment systems.

2. ROV thrusters must be guarded.

3. The primary communications link between the ROV control room, dive control and the DSV Bridge should be hard wire.

4. ROV deployment systems and lifting equipment must be certified in accordance with current legislation.

5. The control container shall be rated to A60 and zoned in accordance with local requirements.

6.  All welding to secure the ROV hoisting system will be carried out to a recognised code and subject to suitable NDT inspection. 

7. All electrical installations and connections should be audited by a “Competent Person“.

8. Certification should be available confirming the systems electrical integrity for safe use underwater and signed by a “Competent Person”

9. The ROV control van shall be fitted with installation/vessel general and fire alarm repeaters.  Unless it can be demonstrated, that the external alarm system is audible inside the control van.

10. The control of ROV operations will always come under the authority of the Diving Supervisor. 

Audit specification