Offshore helideck design guidelines

• Operations notice: 67
• Issue date: Oct 2004

Introduction

1. This notice introduces additional information on the design of offshore helidecks, further to the information already published as Offshore helideck design guidelines [4mb]. These guidelines supplement the existing guidance from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ¹ and the UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA). ²

Background

2. Development of these guidelines was sponsored by HSE and the CAA, and endorsed by the Offshore Industry Advisory Committee Helicopter Liaison Group (OIAC/HLG). Industry groups have also supported their development.

3. The guidelines were developed in response to:

• the findings of a joint HSE/CAA sponsored research project ³ into the helicopter operating environment around offshore helidecks;
• other research work which included studies ⁴ of the relative motion between a floating installation and a helicopter;
• the findings of helideck surveys carried out between 1992 and 1995 by the CAA, on behalf of HSE, which revealed a range of deficiencies in the physical layout of helidecks, and in the equipment provided.

Action required

4. The guidelines address technical issues that are known to arise in the design and construction of offshore helidecks and during offshore helideck operations.

5. They are indicative of current good practice and should therefore be taken into account by those who design, maintain and operate offshore helicopter facilities. Duty holders should ensure that the guidelines are drawn to the attention of those undertaking related work (eg the design and construction of offshore installations) on their behalf.

References

1. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) CAP 437 Offshore Helicopter Landing Areas: Guidance on Standards 4th Edition September 2002 ISBN 0 86039 741 6
2. UKOOA Guidelines for the management of offshore helideck operations Issue 4, February 2003
3. CAA Paper 99004 Research on Offshore Helideck Environmental Issues November 2002 CAA
4. Helicopter Operations to Moving Decks, a paper presented by Dr P Gallagher and Dr A Scaperdas, WS Atkins Consultants, Proceedings of the RAeS Conference 'Helicopter Operations in the Maritime Environment', held in March 2001

Further information

6. Any queries relating to this notice should be addressed to:

Health and Safety Executive
Hazardous Installations Directorate
Offshore Division
Lord Cullen House
Fraser Place
Aberdeen
AB25 3UB

Tel: 01224 252500
Fax: 01224 252629