Jane Bugler
The newly published ‘Guidelines for the management of peripheral survey sensors’ (IMCA S 021) has been developed under the direction of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) Offshore Survey Division management committee.
Since the 1970s technology has been developed and applied in the offshore surveying industry to provide better and improved accuracy, quality, reliability and resolution of data and results. The current use and application of the various core technologies and the developments in related peripheral devices require users to maintain an understanding of good practice.
“The requirements for periodical calibrations and verification of offshore survey and navigation related sensors can sometimes be a sensitive issue, particularly when considering the overall expenditure and time required to undertake offshore survey and inspection activities, ” explains IMCA’s Technical Director, Jane Bugler.
“Such requirements can be inconsistent and have a wide range of complexity often not well captured in tender and project documentation. Our new document provides guidance towards a more standardised approach to the timing of checks, verifications and calibrations, leading to more consistent maintenance practice and potentially better management of survey applications.”
As the extensive Executive Summary to the guidelines points out: “The frequency of checks, tests and calibrations is dependent on a number of issues, one being the stability of the equipment. If a sensor is located in a ‘harsh’ environment, it may not remain within specification. A verification or validation check is required to confirm whether it needs adjusting or replacing. Sensor measurement data helps make that decision; this will involve regular logging of test results, checks, inspections, repairs, resets etc, as well as any unusual performance or operation.”
In addition to the Executive Summary the new 24-page document includes a helpful glossary and details of terminology used and an introduction. There is a section devoted to general considerations highlighting five main areas – testing as a function of time, condition or risk; maintenance and testing strategies; the operational environment; record keeping; and risk management. A twelve page section on survey sensors follows; with the document then devoting two pages to general testing and checks while at sea, and concluding with references and details on further reading .
The guidance is available for downloading free of charge for members and non-members alike from the IMCA website at www.imca-int.com with additional printed copies available at £10.00 for members and £20.00 for non-members (zero VAT, plus 20% for delivery outside Europe) frompublications@imca-int.com
Further information
Further information on all aspects of the IMCA Annual Seminar are available from events@imca-int.com, through the events pages of the website atwww.imca-int.com and from IMCA at 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0AU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7824 5520; Fax: +44 (0)20 7824 5521.
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About IMCA
- IMCA is an international association with some 950 members in over 60 countries representing offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies. IMCA has four technical divisions, covering marine/specialist vessel operations, offshore diving, hydrographic survey and remote systems and ROVs, plus geographic sections for the Asia-Pacific, Central & North America, Europe & Africa, Middle East & India and South America regions. As well as a core focus on safety, the environment, competence and training, IMCA seeks to promote its members’ common interests, to resolve industry-wide issues and to provide an authoritative voice for its members.
- IMCA publishes some 200 guidance notes and technical reports – many are available for free downloading by members and non-members alike. These have been developed over the years and are extensively distributed. They are a definition of what IMCA stands for, including widely recognised diving and ROV codes of practice, DP documentation, marine good practice guidance, the Common Marine Inspection Document (CMID) – now available electronically as eCMID, safety recommendations, outline training syllabi and the IMCA competence scheme guidance. In addition to the range of printed guidance documents, IMCA also produces safety promotional materials, circulates information notes and distributes safety flashes.
