VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has launched the first Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) immersion suit in the world designed for women working in offshore wind energy.
The most recent UK Government Industrial Strategy Offshore Wind Sector Deal study included a “minimum target” for one third of the industry’s workforce to be women by 2030 (2018 – 16%). To support this, companies like Ørsted, Siemens and Vestas have been prioritizing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for women working offshore, reflecting a broader commitment to equity and inclusivity in UK waters and beyond.
As a young industry, offshore wind offers a huge opportunity to change attitudes in the workplace, and to encourage the diversity, equity and inclusion women are entitled to expect. We were delighted to work with VIKING as one of our key safety solution providers to take a significant step in the right direction.
…said Lasse Hansen, Senior HSE Manager, PPE and TMSE, Ørsted.
Hansen continued by highlighting that Ørsted has identified female-specific PPE as part of the critical infrastructure needed for women to work safely offshore today and a necessity to attract more of them into this industry.
Furthermore, the Viking Cyclone suit is approved to the same dual SOLAS/MED and CE/ISO standard as the male version, with common features including compatibility with all standard offshore harnesses, Neoprene cuffs and neck seal, retro-reflective piping for increased visibility in dark surroundings and a maintenance free zipper.
However, ratios and cut are redesigned for shorter torsos, and different hip and chest proportions and for a range of smaller sizes that avoid the risk of snagging in fixtures and fittings.
In addition, the suit includes integral braces, which hold suit pants for free leg movement when climbing and allow the wearer to doff its top part to move around freely.
Poul Parning, Senior EQS PPE Specialist, Siemens Gamesa said the Cyclone suit was a welcome contribution to its efforts to attract more women to offshore wind, ensuring that outdated practices did not frustrate career progress.
There has been an intense focus on PPE as a diversity, equity and inclusion issue at Siemens Gamesa for the last two years; we have already adopted a new safety harness for women. The Cyclone CTV suit supports corporate goals.
…said Parning.
Speaking for Vestas Wind Systems, HSE Manager Peter Armstrong-Cribb added that diversity and inclusion go hand in hand with innovation, and that everyone must feel safe, valued, and that their voice is heard.
VIKING built on its internal design work by interviewing women working offshore in the wind industry to develop the new suit, before trialing prototypes at a test day with Ørsted, Siemens and Vestas in Liverpool, UK earlier this year.
