Established in 1994, Seaward Safety supplies safety signage to the energy sector. Now it is partnering with RSSUS Services Inc to provide state-of-the-art offshore evacuation escape chutes.
Part of the EXHEAT Group, Seaward Safety supplies essential onsite signage including hazard warnings,
fire control, platform identification, anti-slip markings and much more to the energy sector.
With more than 25 years in business, Seaward Safety is headquartered in Lowestoft with agents in China, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Korea. This means that Seaward Safety can offer an exceptional service that touches every corner of the globe.
The company has an additional office in Houston, Texas, where it has partnered with RSSUS Services Inc to provide bespoke offshore evacuation escape chute systems.
“Our escape chutes provide the energy and marine industries with a fast and safe secondary egress solution for persons trapped at height due to fire, heat or combustion,” said Alan Welton, Seaward Safety outside sales and design. “The escape systems can be used in a multitude of environments – from the extreme cold within the Arctic Circle to the high temperatures of Africa and the Middle East.”
Installing an escape chute has a number of safety benefits. In the event of fire, combustion or explosion, the escape chutes can be used if primary escape routes such as stairways are blocked. As well as providing a fast and safe secondary egress solution for persons trapped at height due to an emergency, the escape chutes also provide a safe embarkation alternative to fully manned davit launched lifeboats.
The escape chutes are installed as modular systems, which means optional extras can be added and the order tailored to each client’s requirements. Add-ons include an electro-fibreglass heat and fire protective upper shroud, which offers fire and heat resistance to 1,100ºC; an electrical heat-tracing blanket to ensure the chute remains deployable and operational to -50°C; and various self-inflating life raft options, accommodating up to 150 people.
“Our heat tracing blankets can be fitted with an auto-start feature, whereby the system remains in a standby position and will automatically turn on if the temperature drops below a pre-set range,” said Alan.
The main chute is manufactured using V450 micro-netted Kevlar and has a heat protective rating of 600°C and melting point of 800°C. The protective properties of the escape chutes means that evacuees will be safer during their descent and an internal zig-zag cell system ensures that evacuees can use the chutes while wearing lifejackets, immersion suits and breathing apparatuses.
When deployed, the escape chute free-falls to sea level and releases a self-inflating boarding raft upon impact. Each 1.22m cellular section also features a rear-access cut to allow for safe exit with variable height applications to suit tidal patterns.
“A weighted stabilisation plate sits 15 feet below sea level and is connected using Kevlar cable ropes that are attached and fed through the chute using guide shackles,” Alan explained. “This provides structural rigidity. The four Kevlar ropes are then fed through the centre of the debarkation raft and attached to the plate, which enables the raft and chute to move up and down freely accounting for wave action.”
Pricing is dependent on the specific application and customer requirements – and the escape chutes can also be supplemented by Seaward Safety’s signage solutions.
“Our safety signage, boards and low location lighting can all be used to direct evacuees to the escape chutes,” Alan said. “Due to the photoluminescent properties of these products, they will highlight an escape route during fires, smoke ingress and power failures.”
This provision means customers can use Seaward Safety as a one-stop shop for procurement from survey to installation, with fully-customisable signage tailored to client requirements. A seven-year guarantee is applied to all external signage and boards, and a lifetime guarantee on all internal signage and boards.
For more information, please visit www.seawardsafety.com
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