Global safety specialist Survitec recently took home a prestigious East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) Award during a gala End of Year Celebration and Awards Dinner held at the U.K.’s historic Dunston Hall.
Safety and survival solutions specialists, Survitec, won the EEEGR Award in the Offshore Wind category for the Evacuator system — an emergency wind-turbine descent system that the judging panel recognized as representing “a significant contribution” to renewable energy safety.
“We’re very pleased to award Survitec and Evacuator Worldwide the EEEGR Offshore Wind award for the pioneering Evacuator Emergency Descent System,” said Simon Gray, EEEGR CEO. “Their collaborative effort demonstrates their commitment to increase the safety of those working within the offshore energy sector and it’s great to have both companies with us as EEEGR members.”
“We are absolutely delighted to win this prestigious award, which we accept on behalf of Evacuator’s inventors Eugene Verstegen and Joris Veeger, from the Netherlands,” said Baba Devani, Survitec Marine CEO.
“With the U.K. set to more than double its total offshore wind power capacity by 2030, the safety of those installing, maintaining and servicing offshore wind turbines is crucial,” said Baba Devani, Survitec Marine CEO. “This award recognizes Evacuator’s capacity to keep offshore wind farm workers safe.”
“Winning this award so soon after Evacuator’s market introduction illustrates perfectly the reason behind the decision to partner with Survitec, not only in the U.K. but on a global basis,” said Verstegen, co-owner of Evacuator Worldwide. “Survitec has proven to be the right choice in ensuring that all those working in high-rise marine structures have access to the most optimum means of escape possible.”
“The Evacuator is the world’s most intuitive and only fire-proof, rapid collective evacuation/descent system,” Devani said. “The system, which is fully mechanical, does not require electrical power to operate — which guarantees its operational reliability, whatever the circumstances. Survitec launched this to the offshore energy sector in April this year, and it’s great to see that it is quickly becoming recognized as the evacuation system of choice for wind turbine operators.”
“During an emergency every second counts,” Verstegen said. “With wind turbine’s towering over 160 meters, the safety of personnel is of paramount importance. Having a simple and fire-proof system capable of evacuating personnel rapidly, simply and safely can mean the difference between life or death.”
Emergency evacuation from offshore wind turbines has usually been by way of rope-based rescue-kits. This slower method is not fire-proof and requires professional abseiling skills. The Evacuator system provides a safer and faster descent, increasing survivability of those that need to escape from heights in an emergency.
Fire-proofed up to 1,750°C for 30 minutes, the two-reel Evacuator E165, especially designed for wind turbines up to 165 meters, is a fully mechanical evacuation system based on steel cables. This provides a fully automatic emergency descent at a controlled descent-speed of one meter per second — just “click on and go.”
Capable of evacuating multiple personnel working at heights up to 300 meters to safety, personnel can click on each reel at the same time, providing their combined weight does not exceed 282 kilograms per reel. During evacuation, two reels can be used at the same time. With a lifespan of more than 30 years, it is easily installed, maintained, and comes with accompanying personal protective equipment in an “Evacuation Chest.”
The EEEGR Awards, now in their 17th year, celebrate the outstanding achievements and developments that have taken place within the energy sector over the last 12 months.
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