1. This notice is to advise duty holders of a recent incident involving the failure of a helideck perimeter safety net. It emphasises the need to ensure that these are of adequate strength and are properly secured, maintained and tested to ensure they continue to be fit for purpose.
2. A member of a helideck crew was recently injured after falling through what appeared to be an undamaged helideck perimeter safety net to the deck more than 5 m below. The incident could have had very serious consequences.
3. In the light of this incident, duty holders should, as a matter of urgency, review their helideck perimeter safety net maintenance and test procedures as set out below.
4. Duty holders should ensure that their helideck perimeter safety nets and associated tests comply fully with CAA publication CAP 437 (Helicopter Landing Areas – Physical Characteristics, 5th Edition, Chapter 3, Section 9), taking into account the UKOOA Guidelines for the Management of Offshore Helideck Operations (Addendum 12, paragraph 9). In particular:
5. The relevant legal requirements are as follows.
6.
Any queries relating to this notice should be addressed to:
Health and Safety ExecutiveThis guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Following the guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance as illustrating good practice.