The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has published a revised update of IMCA M254 – Guidelines for walk-to-work operations. Providing practical recommendations and guidance for planning, execution, and emergency preparedness, this document applies to all vessels or offshore floating units that use a motion compensated gangway to transfer personnel.
The offshore industry is increasingly using walk to work as a means of access to offshore assets in both the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors. This guidance has been revised and updated by IMCA as the first part of a staged industry programme with the intent of continuously improving safety performance through an increasingly standardised approach to walk-to-work operations.
In April 2024, IMCA and the G+ (Global Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation) held a workshop with key industry stakeholders to address the need to ensure continual improvement of safety performance with walk-to-work access systems in the offshore energy sector.
This initial workshop brought together developers, operators, marine contractors, equipment manufacturers, walk-to-work providers, and design agencies. The workshop explored the lifecycle, including procurement, of a walk-to-work system, considering aspects such as design, oversight and assurance, training, competency, and maintenance.
The conclusions of the workshop have formed the basis for a three-phase approach by IMCA members.
In the first phase IMCA has reviewed, revised, and now published its guidance for walk-to-work operations. We have achieved this through the expertise of our membership and a programme of global engagement. A working group of key subject matter experts has worked under the oversight of IMCA’s Marine Renewable Energy Committee, incorporating feedback from workshops held in the USA, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Phase two will now commence. In this stage of work, IMCA will work with members and partners to address areas of improvement identified in the revision of its guidance. These include, but are not limited, to:
- the competence of users, operators, and end clients,
- potential incident reporting systems, and the generation of industry incident data,
- operators’ continuing professional development and operational logs, and
- consideration of software updates, telescopic speeds, and vessel assurance.
During the third phase of this programme we will incorporate the improvements identified in these areas into a further review and revision of IMCA M254 – Guidelines for walk-to-work operations.
IMCA also recognises the vital importance of design standards for the improvement of safety performance. As such, IMCA will support appropriate design agencies to assist them in any revisions to this element.
The process of continual improvement of safety performance is crucial. The recent safety notice issued by the UK Health and Safety Executive highlights the potentially serious risks faced by the operators and users of motion compensated gangways. IMCA strongly recommends that duty holders review this safety notice and take appropriate and timely action.
The experience and knowledge of our members, stakeholders, and partners is highly valued as we work across our industry to create a standard framework that promotes safe walk-to-work operations. Any organisation wishing to contribute should contact rhys.jones@imca-int.com.
