Guidelines for walk to work operations

Version history

November 2023 Rev. 0.1 – QA check, document map added; no change to content

December 2021 Initial publication – Providing guidance to stakeholders involved with walk to work gangway operations in the offshore energy sector

Summary

The offshore industry is increasingly using walk to work (W2W) as a means of access to offshore assets in both the oil & gas and renewable energy sectors. This guidance document has been prepared by industry with the intent of providing a standardised approach to W2W operations.

The guidelines cover all stages of the offshore W2W process including planning, execution and emergency preparedness and applies to all vessels or offshore floating units that use a motion compensated gangway to transfer personnel. The intention is that by following these guidelines field operators, project planners, vessel operators and offshore personnel will work within a standard framework therefore promoting safe W2W operations.

An actively motion compensated gangway (or motion compensated access device) autonomously compensates for the vessel motions of which it is attached to, by actively altering either its base, telescoping, luffing and slewing angles in order to provide a steady and controlled transitional link between its mother vessel and its target (either another vessel or fixed structure), enabling safe transfer of personnel and, when appropriate, the safe transfer of equipment.

Locally applicable legislation may include requirements in excess of these guidelines.

Contents

• Executive summary
• Objective
• Choosing the appropriate vessel and gangway
• Operational planning
• Competence assurance of key personnel
• Gangway maintenance
• Learning from incidents
• Emergency preparedness
• Golden rules
• Definitions
• Reference documents
• Appendices (6)