RMI, a solutions partner that supports operations in complex environments worldwide, has reinforced its position as a pioneer in medical provision for offshore wind following the launch of a new assessment centre to support workers on the first major U.S. offshore wind farm project – Vineyard Wind.
The company, which specialises in protecting the health and well-being of workers on remote and diverse sites, has been operating out of a temporary assessment centre in New Bedford, Massachusetts to prepare the workforce for deployment to the largest offshore wind farm in the western hemisphere.
OEUK medical process
RMI’s expert clinical personnel pioneering the Vineyard Wind workforce and contractors
RMI’s expert clinical personnel have been pioneering the Vineyard Wind workforce and contractors through the Offshore Energy UK (OEUK) medical process, a medical exam designed for those working in offshore environments. It is designed to ensure that individuals are medically fit to work offshore in remote, austere environments.
To obtain an OEUK medical, workers undergo a comprehensive medical examination overseen by an OEUK registered doctor. This exam includes health history, vital signs, audiometry, urinalysis, and vision testing. Additionally, RMI can offer services such as the Chester Step Test, EBS medical, Respirator Fit Testing, and urine drug screening, out of the Vineyard Wind Assessment Centre.
Author’s quote
Chris Murff, Vice President of Global Sales at RMI, commented: “RMI’s extensive experience protecting the lives of workers in offshore environments means we are uniquely placed to support with the operations at Vineyard Wind. OEUK’s are the recognised global safety and quality standard for working in offshore. At RMI, we combine OEUK certification with Chester Step Testing and Compressed Air Emergency Breathing Systems (CA-EBS) examination, to effectively assess the fitness of staff to work offshore. The U.S offshore wind industry is growing every single year and it’s important that we utilise our global experience and solutions to bring the best and most robust standard of safety certification to the industry.”
OEUK’s are the recognised global safety and quality standard for working in offshore"
He adds, “This is just one of many unique medical solutions that RMI is providing to offshore operations on the East Coast. We are in a fantastic position to utilise local, US-based staff to deliver industry qualifications that would otherwise require offshore medics to travel to the UK, demonstrating our strength as a leading offshore medical provider here in the U.S.”
Training and certification
By combining training and certification to a singular site, and through one provider, RMI can process a larger volume of staff in a shorter period than traditional methods, at a location close to the wind farm, significantly reducing the need for staff to travel internationally to receive the necessary qualifications, and therefore improving the speed in which Vineyard Wind can receive staff on-site.
Located 15 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, Vineyard Wind 1 is currently building the nation's first utility-scale offshore wind energy project, which plans to generate clean, renewable, affordable energy for over 400,000 homes and businesses, while reducing carbon emissions by over 1.6 million tonnes per year. RMI has been servicing the offshore wind industry for many years, operating in the renewables sector since its infancy, and ensuring that offshore medics are specialists in their field, able to work in extreme conditions and make life-saving decisions in an instant.
