News from IMCA 2002

November 2002

• No Harm - What's the Problem?
  The second annual IMCA safety seminar has been announced, aiming to review progress since the 2002 event and moving strongly forward, with additional sessions in a variety of formats, addressing how to meet the zero-injury goal and sharing in best practice and new initiatives. Join us at Newcastle United's football ground in February 2003.
   
• Americas Sub-Groups Off to an Enthusiastic Start
  The newly-formed Americas Deepwater Section is already making its presence felt and adding a strong new dimension to IMCA's international activities. Regional sub-groups have been formed and are having their first meetings already, tackling local issues directly and providing valuable input into the work of IMCA's world-wide committees.
   
• Helping Members Ensure and Demonstrate Personnel Competence
  The latest IMCA competence workshop brought together members from around the globe with a variety of technical operations to discuss implementation of IMCA's Competence Assurance & Assessment guidance, which provides a framework within which contractors can demonstrate the competence of their safety-critical personnel to clients, regulators and others. Included in discussions was a review of guidance documentation, which will be updated shortly in the light of four years' experience.
   
• Annual Seminar A Great Success Again
  The 2002 Marine & Diving Division Seminar in Aberdeen drew over 200 delegates, who heard a range of fascinating presentations and joined in wide-ranging discussions on the theme "Learning from Experience", looking ahead to shape the future and providing valuable input to various current initiatives
   

October 2002

• IMCA Americas Deepwater Section Established
  The first meeting of IMCA's latest regional section was well attended and saw an extensive work programme initiated and enthusiastic sub-groups formed to deal with various technical areas. The new section has a remit to maintain, promote and exchange information on good practice - click above for full details on how your company can get involved and reap the benefits.
   
• Competence Workshop Details Posted
  Almost four years after the launch of this key IMCA guidance, the TCPC Committee has organised a workshop on 13 November 2002 to review progress in implementing the guidance in company schemes, provide a forum for discussion of areas of common interest/ concern and to hear from expert speakers on competence issues. A questionnaire exercise is also underway and you can register online now.
   

September 2002

• A new look for imca-int.com
  IMCA's websites have been updated, reflecting the new IMCA logo and taking the opportunity to review site content and generally freshen the look. Updated area homepages simplify navigation and reduce the need for scrolling. In particular, the members-only website includes improved highlighting of and navigation to member-only material and better differentiation of material available to all members and that which is restricted to divisional/ regional members. An updated 'IMCA Regions' section has been created, paving the way for a major expansion of content in this area.
   
• New Offshore Survey Careers Guides
  The Offshore Survey Division of IMCA has prepared new and updated guides for a variety of positions in the offshore survey sector, demonstrating the range of roles available, skills and qualifications required, working conditions and prospects.
   

August 2002

• Annual Marine & Diving Seminar 2002 - Programme Published
  The programme for this year's annual seminar, taking place on 5-6 November in Aberdeen, UK, has been published. Full details of this wide-ranging event are now available online. This year's theme is "Learning from Experience", with the keynote address by IMCA President John Smith (Subsea 7) on how this experience can be used to shape the future. Plan to be there with your managerial and operational colleagues - register online now!
   
• IMCA Newsletter available for download
  From Issue 24 (July 2002), the IMCA Newsletter will now be available for download from the members-only website, enabling a wider distribution than ever before. Click above to get it - and pass it on to your colleagues.
   

July 2002

• Use of Chain Lever Hoists in the Offshore Subsea Environment
  Chain lever hoists have proved to be a very useful tool offshore, but a history of failures, both underwater and topside, prompted critical examination and has led to the production of IMCA guidance aimed at aiding members in safe managememt of their operations.
   
• Update of IMCA certification schemes
  The IMCA Offshore Diving Supervisor and Life Support Technician schemes have been updated to take account of changes in examination arrangements, regulatory developments and to reflect and interpret the provisions of the IMCA Competence Assurance & Assessment framework.
   

June 2002

• Guidance on Use of the Common Marine Inspection Document
  The latest Marine Division document provides a worked example on use of the IMCA/UKOOA Common Marine Inspection Document - a standard audit guide that has found wide take-up on a world-wide basis, enabling multiple clients to take advantage of a single audit to common standards and reducing the time previously taken up by multiple audits.
   
• Academic Requirements for Graduate Surveyors
  The latest publication from the Offshore Survey Division deals with concerns that graduates from survey courses recruited into the offshore survey industry are not always equipped with the expected level of knowledge, resulting in the need for further training. This document has been developed to provide guidance to university departments on fifteen areas IMCA's survey contractor members would expected a graduate surveyor to have knowledge of upon completion of their course.
   

May 2002

• New Chief Executive at IMCA
  Hugh Williams - formerly of Heerema, Noble Denton and Global Maritime - has joined IMCA as Chief Executive, taking over from Tony Read who will be retiring, following a three-month handover period, after leading the Association for the past five years. For full details, please read the press release.
   

April 2002

• Guidance on FMEAs published
  This latest comprehensive guidance from the Marine Division highlights best practice in the use of failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) techniques when applied to technical systems associated with offshore vessels. The document answers frequently-asked questions about FMEAs, explains the background to and role of FMEAs and extensive guidance on using and reporting on the use of this powerful pro-active engineering quality tool.
   
• Marking of Hyperbaric Rescue Systems
  IMCA has updated the 1984 AODC guidance on the marking of these systems, bringing it into line with the appropriate IMO resolution.
   
• 2002 Objectives finalised
  A wide and varied programme confirmed addressing all sectors of members' operations in the offshore industry - click above for the full list of objectives, which are also available via each divisional and core activity homepage.
   
• President's Message - April 2002
  The output [of IMCA] is a wide range of guidelines intended to improve the technical, safety and environmental performance of our industry, through a policy of self regulation. This is by far the more preferable mode of operation ...
  Plus: maintaining standards world-wide and news on the new Chief Executive
   

February 2002

• President's Message - July 2002
  The association has grown up in the North Sea and naturally has had a North Sea and perhaps a UK bias but the structure has evolved rather than been designed ... it is necessary for us to amend the shape of our organisation for the future ... in addition to the new Americas Deepwater Section and the existing Asia-Pacific and Middle East & India Sections, IMCA will shortly create a Europe & Africa Section, giving the Association true global coverage.
  Plus: A fond farewell to Tony Read as IMCA Chief Executive.
   
• Terms and Conditions for ROV Support Services published
  These terms and conditions build on the contracting principles published in December 2001 and are intended, in particular but not exclusively, for use in contracts between IMCA members.
   
• Marine Inspection Checklist for Small Workboats published
  Second technical guideline from IMCA's Offshore Survey Division aims to help survey contractors ensure that the workboats they charter, or consider chartering, are operated safely.
   

January 2002

• Successful Working Safer Offshore seminar draws praise from delegates
  Over eighty delegates from around the world gathered at Old Trafford in Manchester to hear thought-provoking presentations on various aspects of offshore safety, leading on to enthusiastic discussion sessions. The proceedings of the two-day event are summarised in a document now available to IMCA members, with a summary report available online.
   
• President's Message - January 2002
  Much effort has been made ... on SHE through 2001 and I am sure that the staistics will show another significant improvement - giving us a record to be proud of. However ... We must never let up until we eliminate injury from our industry. Complacency is the enemy.
  Plus: the offshore insurance market post September 11 and increasing international co-operation.
   
• IMCA Supporting Oceanology International
  5-8 March 2002 conference and exhibition in London provides opportunity to meet with a range of member companies which will be present, and to promote IMCA and its members to the wider audience, with associated events on specific aspects of IMCA's work.