Greater Gabbard emergency simulated

UK: Developers and emergency services have joined forces to test the emergency response during a simulation of a serious incident at Greater Gabbard offshore windfarm.

by Patrick Smith 30 August 2013

A rescue worker swoops into action as part of the exercise
SSE, with Siemens, Windcat Workboats, the Royal Air Force and the Marine Coastguard Agency used the site, 20 kilometres off the coast of Suffolk in the UK, to simulate a scenario involving two teams working on a turbine when a serious injury occurred leading to emergency evacuation.

SSE's safety officer Brian Scott said: "This is the first time we have undertaken such an exercise at Greater Gabbard and we were able to exercise every possible type of rescue either by vessel or by RAF search and rescue helicopter.

"Achieving this has given those who work offshore comfort that systems are in place should a real incident occur."