Remote workplaces and harsh weather conditions are some of the challenges we work to overcome in ensuring the safety of our offshore workers.
The Issue: Protecting Employees Who Work Offshore
The offshore oil and gas industry in Atlantic Canada operates in a challenging environment. The remoteness of offshore workplaces and harsh weather conditions are some of the challenges the industry works to overcome to ensure the safety of offshore workers.
What We’re Doing: Comprehensive Health and Safety Plans, and Safety Devices
All of our operations are guided by comprehensive health and safety plans that must be developed before any offshore activity is approved. The Canada-Nova Scotia, and Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Boards audit company health and safety programs, and frequently inspect offshore work locations. The Boards can and will shut down operations that are unsafe.
Helly Hansen Helicopter Suit
As with our onshore work, the industry’s primary focus is to prevent injuries and incidents from ever happening. We work diligently to eliminate or control potential hazards. But because not every risk can be eliminated, we must also develop and regularly test programs in order to respond to potential emergencies.
New Safety Device for Travel Offshore by Helicopter
The offshore petroleum industry in Atlantic Canada has implemented a new safety device which is mandatory for travel by helicopter offshore. The Helicopter Underwater Emergency Breathing Apparatus - or HUEBA – gives the user an additional capacity of breathable air so that he or she has more time to escape from a partially or totally submerged helicopter in an emergency situation.
HUEBA Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a Helicopter Underwater Emergency Breathing Apparatus (HUEBA)?
In-water training on the HUEBA device.
A HUEBA is a safety device designed to provide the user with an additional capacity of breathable air while underwater so that he or she has more time to escape from a partially or totally submerged helicopter.
2. There are different types of HUEBA in use worldwide (i.e. rebreather, hybrid-rebreather, compressed air system). Which device is used in Atlantic Canada?
A compressed air system, similar to a SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus), has been chosen for use in Atlantic Canada. This is a system that has been in use for many years in other contexts and has been proven successful in emergency situations.
3. Why has industry introduced HUEBA?
Safety is the industry’s top priority. In order to ensure that the best possible safety practices and programs are implemented industry continuously looks for new ways to improve these processes, including those related to helicopter travel. HUEBA systems have been proven effective in emergency situations and adding this device to the safety gear carried by the workforce travelling by helicopter will further enhance probability of survival in an emergency situation.
4. Will it be mandatory to carry a HUEBA on all offshore helicopter flights?
Yes. The HUEBA device has been integrated into the existing flight suits and is a mandatory component of the survival gear carried by offshore workforce personnel during helicopter flights.
5. What kind of training will be provided related to HUEBA?
In-water training on the HUEBA device.
For new users of the HUEBA, a demonstration on use of the device will be provided at check-in for offshore flights. In addition, a segment outlining the use of HUEBA has been added to all pre-flight safety videos. In-water training for workforce personnel is also provided. HUEBA training has been added to safety training courses required of offshore workforce personnel (Basic Survival Training, Basic Survival Training Recurrent, Offshore Survival Introduction and Offshore Helicopter Survival). HUEBA training is also available as a stand-alone course.
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