It’s a long way down from here

Synergy between Harken firms ties collectively high-efficiency rope dealing with gear with world class rope-safety and rescue coaching

Harken’s expertise working with the rescue and emergency companies has resulted in a complete new method to performing protected mast work aloft. Nice issues can occur when world-leading information and experience from completely different disciplines collide, together with revolutionary outcomes that flip lengthy established practices on their head.

A lot of the security gear on as we speak’s yachts is unrecognisable in contrast with that of a few a long time in the past. It has even turn out to be routine to equip crew members with a private AIS unit, in order that in the event that they fall overboard their place could be clearly proven on the chartplotter of their very own boat and people of every other vessels within the neighborhood. And the times when folks spent months in a liferaft are, we hope, lengthy behind us.

But the procedures – and gear – for climbing the rig have barely modified in half a century or extra. Granted, bosun’s chairs and climbing harnesses are actually extra comfy than older designs however the fundamental methods stay the identical. As we are going to see later, the accident statistics even for climbing a rig in harbour are horrifying and in as we speak’s world could be deemed unacceptable in every other discipline. So, there’s clearly one thing incorrect with the prevailing angle that “everybody has at all times climbed the rig like this, so it should be OK”.

Even in a correctly becoming harness, suspension trauma can result in lack of consciousness in a surprisingly quick time

The route by which Harken got here to this realisation – and, extra importantly, discovered how greatest to handle the topic – is unsurprisingly a posh one which includes a number of items inside the group of security and rescue companies that Harken has positioned alongside its legendary marine {hardware} division. One of many key figures within the story is Pierre Masse, a former skilled sailor with three America’s Cups below his belt as mast man, who joined the corporate in 2007 and is now directeur général of Harken France, primarily based in La Rochelle.

Throughout his skilled crusing days Masse says he fell from a rig as soon as himself and has harrowing first-hand tales of seeing different opponents falling, in addition to a ‘huge drawback with one crew member who began turning across the mast and was caught … with nobody actually capable of climb and assist him.’

Sadly, statistics present that these experiences are removed from distinctive. Whereas complete figures in such a various business are tough to compile, Harken has unearthed documentation displaying 19 folks have died whereas aloft previously decade alone. Over greater than 10 years, they’ll doc 32 deaths.

It has lengthy been identified that statistics for critical accidents or fatalities masks a far bigger variety of much less critical accidents and close to misses. In 1931, for instance, the American insurance coverage firm superintendent Herbert W. Heinrich analysed 75,000 accident studies in industrial settings. Throughout his broad knowledge set he discovered that for each accident that causes a serious harm there have been an additional 29 with minor accidents and 300 further minor accidents or close to misses.

This premise has been up to date a number of occasions, together with in 2003 by American multinational Conoco Phillips, which discovered that for each accident with a fatality there have been an additional 30 with critical harm, 3,000 close to miss incidents and a colossal 30,0000 examples of dangerous behaviour and working procedures. Each time we climb a mast utilizing present widespread practices we subsequently place ourselves in peril of a excessive affect disaster.

Even with out harm, gear failure or a tangle within the rig can cue the necessity for rescue

One of the stunning latest situations within the marine business issues a 30ft two-handed efficiency yacht on passage between Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria in January 2023. One of many crew went aloft however ended up entangled within the standing rigging and was injured. Neither his fellow crew member, nor rescue groups from Sasemar, the Spanish maritime rescue and security organisation, had been capable of deliver him safely to the deck and his physique was ultimately recovered 19 hours after the beginning of the incident.

Equally, there are many tales of visits aloft in harbour going incorrect, together with an 18-year-old junior deckhand who fell from the rig of a 60m (196ft) schooner whereas cleansing the mast. A neighborhood newspaper, the Jamaica Observer, reported that the incident occurred “when the ropes tying her to the mast got here undone”. A 22-year-old superyacht deckhand/assistant engineer additionally tumbled to his demise whereas cleansing the rubrail of a 74m (243ft) motor yacht, suspended utilizing a security harness and bosun’s chair connected to a fender hook.

It ought to come as no shock that Harken France wasn’t the one Harken firm that had recognized a necessity to enhance security aloft. ‘The crew at Harken ProCare, our superyacht and grand prix technical help and repair group, introduced our direct consideration to it by way of Elevated Security, which is considered one of our rope entry and rescue coaching companies, with their commentary of the skilled rigging facet of the equation, utilizing methods that may not be deemed protected typically business,’ says Harken security and rescue division industrial director Sean Cogan. ‘Being that the work is of an expert nature, we determined that they’d have the aptitude to take suggestion circuitously from Harken, however relatively from Elevated Security, which is organised to coach professionals for tough rope entry and rescue options.

‘The Harken Professional Care Staff initiated the dialog with Elevated Security, first to hunt recommendation on whether or not this was an issue value advocating for an answer,’ he provides, ‘and secondly to make use of the useful resource we’ve in constructing deliverable curriculum and coaching improvement instruments to suit the operation.’

‘Climbing a mast is identical as climbing a tree or a constructing – usually you want a full coaching and a certificates to do such a job, as a result of it is technical and harmful,’ says Harken ProCare supervisor Mark Gardner, who’s answerable for offering buyer and technical help to all of Harken’s superyacht and grand prix racing shoppers.

For any rescue, devise a plan and set up correct communications on the outset

Mark Wiss, Harken’s director of world grand prix and customized yacht gross sales, is one other drive behind the event of this initiative. ‘A very nice factor with Harken is that during the last decade or so, we diversified our enterprise into non crusing actions,’ he says, ‘having realised our merchandise are there to handle rope and that we had loads of prospects shopping for our gear for non-sailing functions.’

Typically these had been sailors who recognised the usefulness of Harken merchandise to be used in their very own non-sailing associated companies. ‘It was a very eyeopener for us,’ provides Wiss. ‘Quick ahead to now and we have executed a very good job in creating an area focussed on security and rescue.

‘Whether or not they’re climbing a wind turbine or the facet of a tall constructing to scrub home windows, folks want coaching, {qualifications} and licensed gear earlier than they’ll work aloft. It is the identical idea for crusing and we’re capable of take the lead on this market. So it is gone full circle the place the sailors who use our crusing gear are actually capable of be skilled by way of our security and rescue division.’

Determining what steps are required to make change occur is often a much more advanced matter than merely figuring out the necessity for it. If it takes a village to boost a toddler, it takes a multidisciplinary company, whose DNA is essentially grounded in a seek for world class options, to assemble the information and experience wanted to efficiently problem entrenched groupthink throughout a complete business. This was subsequently an enormous initiative with buy-in throughout the numerous sectors during which Harken firms are actually main forces.

An vital issue that grew to become clear at an early stage is that, with out correct coaching, merely having the perfect rope security gear on board isn’t sufficient. Appropriate and acceptable working procedures tailor-made to every state of affairs are equally vital, which suggests coaching must be an integral a part of the supply.

Nonetheless, Harken by no means supposed to dictate precisely how mast climbing must be executed. As a substitute the plan was at all times ‘to supply our expertise in how completely different strategies may very well be of use to make the work safer, to allow the rescue of a co-worker, and presumably so as to add operational effectivity with approach and gear choices they might not have seen earlier than,’ Cogan advised Seahorse.

Masse says Harken France didn’t initially have the ‘expertise, the talent or the information’ to pursue the venture in home. Nonetheless, enlargement at Harken on the company stage was creating an ideal alternative. The marine business has at all times been vulnerable to accentuated peaks and troughs in every financial cycle and Harken began to diversify exterior of its core marine markets after the monetary disaster of the late 2000s.

Operators in sectors as various as theatre, crowd administration at main sporting occasions, tree surgeons and first responders had been already utilizing Harken gear – due to its low friction, excessive effectivity nature – and had been pushing for gadgets to bear the rigorous certification wanted to make use of them for human suspension at top. In 2011 Harken formally recognised the potential of those markets, creating what’s now often called the Harken Security and Rescue division, together with a plan to quickly turn out to be a world chief within the sector.

This was achieved partly by way of numerous strategic acquisitions and in typical Harken vogue the corporate regarded to harness the world’s greatest expertise on this planet of coaching at top. On condition that this data was not out there within the marine business, the corporate acquired Illinois, USA-based Elevated Security which was already broadly recognised as a world class chief in coaching for rope entry.

As yachts proceed to develop, protected operations aloft turn out to be ever more difficult. The J Class Yacht Lionheart’s 58m mast top makes for wonderful real-world coaching

This firm was based by first responders with years of expertise in city fireplace rescue and even as we speak nearly each Elevated Security coach has a day job as a firefighter or emergency medical technician. In addition they have groups on standby to be flown all over the world to participate in essentially the most technically difficult rescue operations conceivable in each maritime and terrestrial domains.

Prior to now these have included main missions to get well crew from giant industrial ships which can be mendacity on their facet following a capsize. In 2023 Elevated Security itself acquired Wyoming, USA-based Peak Rescue to additional increase the corporate’s experience, particularly within the realms of backcountry and mountain rescue. These trainers prepare to particular requirements utilizing a curriculum licensed by the Society of Skilled Rope Entry Technicians (SPRAT).

In a three-year interval two Harken Inc groups have received the world’s most demanding rescue competitors – GRIMPDay. That is successfully the America’s Cup for the world’s rope rescue group, bringing groups from all over the world, together with firefighters, civil safety, military, police and others, to compete below duress on duties impressed by real-world conditions that contain saving folks in precarious conditions and below time stress.

We could be in little question, subsequently that Elevated Security has a number of the best possible coaching personnel on this planet, who’re on a par with essentially the most seasoned rescue brigades internationally. The agency additionally has a longstanding and illustrious consumer record that features the US Coast Guard’s 90m (294ft) three-masted barque Eagle, the place Elevated Security is answerable for main cadet coaching for work aloft.

What are the magic elements that make the Harken Group’s Security and Rescue coaching world class? ‘Our crew has been hand chosen over 15 years and primarily drawn from first responders, so the consolation stage in elevated stress conditions is seemingly regular to them,’ says Cogan. ‘We even have expertise as an emergency response salvage contractor and our groups have intensive worldwide offshore maritime salvage expertise and are comfy in a marine atmosphere. Coupling that with Harken’s detailed expertise in crusing, we noticed the distinctive alternative to be taught from our subject material consultants on each side and mix abilities and information to supply a studying product that may be utilized globally by way of a pre-existing community of pros who’re decided to assist and out there wherever on this planet we must be.’

He provides: ‘My private view of world class isn’t purely primarily based on my impression of our abilities being higher than anybody else’s, however relatively having the required items in place to ship and be taught with the help of a worldwide community.’

Underneath Harken’s possession, Elevated Security has grown quickly and now has operations in Illinois, Colorado and Florida within the US, whereas its latest workplace in La Rochelle, France is effectively positioned to run coaching programs all through Europe. As we speak the Harken Group subsequently encompasses two domains during which it has world class information and experience – the marine business, plus security and rescue.

With the 2 divisions now lively in each North America and Europe, the information and experience mandatory to handle the security points recognized by Harken France and Harken ProCare is now out there inside the group. It stands to rework procedures for working aloft in all sectors of the marine business.

Elevated Security in France has developed a two-day course that covers all of the background information and regulatory frameworks related to safely working at top, use of acceptable gear and rescue methods. The course is classroombased for half a day and on boats for the opposite day and a half.

Even crews fairly used to working aloft can discover themselves exterior the consolation zone when confronted with going as much as switch and evacuate an unconscious casualty

Key premises embrace a double safety methodology for mast work, with particular protocols for deck operators and people aloft to comply with that had been particularly developed for work at top when afloat. There’s additionally a rescue methodology that may be applied if an individual aloft is unable to descend with out help. The significance of this factor shouldn’t be underestimated. Along with extra apparent dangers of sickness or harm, being suspended aloft for quite a lot of minutes has potential to result in so-called suspension syndrome or trauma, during which blood circulation across the physique is impaired and will ultimately result in a lack of consciousness.

On the time of writing, the primary programs for skilled riggers have taken place in France, led by coaching director Alex Gomez de Miranda, an expert firefighter with important rope rescue experience. ‘We began with professional riggers as a result of they had been very receptive to the security points,’ says Masse. ‘and the certification can be helpful for his or her insurance coverage, which creates a further incentive for them.’

They’ve additionally skilled the crew of the 43m (142ft) J Class yacht Lionheart. ‘There’s virtually a spot in our business as there actually aren’t clear requirements of protected observe,’ says first mate Alex Tower. ‘So it is cool that Harken has purchased Elevated Security and now they’re bringing skilled coaching again to sailors.’

‘There are loads of practices we are able to use simply in day-to-day life aboard the boat to make issues safer and I believe we’ll actually add what we have realized to our present drills we carry out on board,’ he provides. ‘Going ahead, I really feel we’re rather a lot safer realizing the crew have been concerned on this coaching.’

Additional programs are already deliberate for Yannick Bestaven’s Maître Coq Imoca 60 marketing campaign forward of his participation on this 12 months’s Vendée Globe, and the Koesio Ocean Fifty crew. With industrial delivery more and more poised to undertake sail help that is additionally seen an enormous potential market and Elevated Security has already been working with SY Canopee, the not too long ago launched 120m (400ft) sailassisted ship that carries elements for the Arianne area programme between Europe and launch websites in French Guyana. Her 4 large wing sails, every of 363m², scale back gasoline consumption by one third at a service velocity of 16.5kts.

The Security Aloft course is tailor-made to completely different finish customers, recognising {that a} solo around the world sailor has completely different must a totally crewed vessel. Concerns for superyachts, megayachts and marine professionals resembling electronics consultants are completely different once more.

Importantly, Masse cautions that having extra folks out there on board doesn’t robotically translate to safer practices: ‘With a crew there’s a larger threat of accidents resulting from co-activity on the boats, so the dangers are completely different,’ he says. ‘We’ve many examples of incidents and accidents which can be resulting from, for instance, a communication drawback with a halyard pull that continues whereas the technician is already on the high. Or the winch not being locked out, or using self-tailing on an electrical winch whereas somebody’s foot is jammed on a spreader.

‘The principle thrust of our work is to boost consciousness of the dangers concerned and the procedures to be put in place to cut back them,’ he provides. ‘Sailors already know the way to climb the mast, so we’re simply right here to assist them make their observe safer.’

The precautions and understanding wanted for this go far past merely having a redundant halyard and attaching them to the bosun’s chair or harness with a knot relatively than a snap shackle.

‘So, in the identical method that you’re skilled to cope with a fireplace on a ship or flooding, coaching the way to entry the mast should be anticipated and the talents maintained,’ says Gardner. ‘That is the place Harken / Harken ProCare and Elevated Security are available in, providing coaching tailored to the boat for crew members, together with the creation or addition of non-public protecting gear, consciousness of hazards and threat evaluation, plus entry and rescue methods.’

The complementary talent and information bases of Harken’s core marine division, Harken ProCare and Elevated Security have now been totally built-in

An vital issue right here is that offering programs and coaching is under no circumstances a brand new exercise for the ProCare division, which has been doing this for a few years to allow superyacht and grand prix race groups to take care of various kinds of gear within the discipline. Harken ProCare will subsequently be the primary level of contact to assist organize coaching customised to the gear and rigging discovered on every yacht. Working with Elevated Security, this division can even assist create security and rescue plans for every boat or ship and carry out onboard security audits and coaching that conform with worldwide regulatory requirements governing working at top.

On the product facet, Harken makes rope entry and rescue gear that shall be already be acquainted to many sailors. As well as, gadgets resembling its multipurpose ascent/descent units are developed in a really comparable method to the famend crusing {hardware}, although collaboration with essentially the most skilled rescue trainers on this planet. This has helped create merchandise that beforehand didn’t exist, whereas bettering present traces to be extra environment friendly and simpler to make use of. This vary now contains LokHead winches, Ninja foot and chest rope ascenders, in addition to the Clutch multipurpose rope ascend/descend gadget.

Nonetheless, all trainers take an unaligned method and can advocate the very best gear for every particular state of affairs, even when it’s produced by firms with which Harken competes in different areas. This additionally applies to the curated security aloft gear kits that Harken and Elevated Security tailor to the wants of every boat and on which their crews could be skilled.

By means of its specialist divisions and subsidiaries, Harken is subsequently capable of mix the high-efficiency rope dealing with gear we’re all accustomed to utilizing with a line-up of essentially the most proficient rope security and rescue coaching professionals on this planet. It’s an unbeatable mixture that may markedly scale back threat to those that whose skilled life includes working aloft, in addition to bettering security for legions of novice racing sailors and long-distance cruisers.

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