Safety chiefs are to stage a series of ‘town hall’ meetings for offshore workers and their families ahead of the return to service of the EC225 Eurocopter.
The Helicopter Safety Steering Group is to hold sessions later this month to give offshore staff and members of the public a chance to speak to members of the body and learn more about the fix approved by aviation bosses.
The news comes just a week after the European Aviation Safety Agency and the Civil Aviation Authority lifted the over-water flying ban on the helicopters, which had been grounded since last October.
“Having supported the safety of return to flight, the immediate priority for HSSG is workforce engagement to ensure understanding of the investigation and safety measures and restore confidence in the EC225,” said Les Linklater of Step Change In Safety.
“The HSSG is committed to ensure sufficient information is provided at all stages towards the return to service.
“We must acknowledge there will inevitably be workers who remain concerned and some offshore workers will need more reassurance than others. On this basis we expect all employers and duty holders to continue to work together to engage with and inform our workforce about the measures taken to find and remedy the EC 225 problems”.
Along with the meetings, letters to staff, fact sheets and a video on the safety measures are set to be produced.
The EC225s were grounded after two offshore ditching incidents last year – one in May, around 30 miles off Aberdeen and the other in October near Shetland.
Eurocopter had been working to create new measures to pevent and detect the cracks to gearshafts which had caused the EC225 to ditch.
An interim approach has been developed ahead of a new gear shaft being made available next year.
Mr Linklater said the steering group’s own experts were satisfied after reviewed the new safety measures proposed by Eurocopter.
“In addition to Eurocopter’s investigation, our own HSSG technical expert reviewed at all of the findings and provided HSSG with his conclusions, which support the view that EC225’s can safely return into service,” he said.
The Town Hall sessions take place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on July 31, at 10am-12pm, 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm.