It is always a good idea to do your homework prior to making a large purchase of any kind. This philosophy would definitely apply to buying something as expensive as offshore drilling safety equipment. You really need to know as much as you can about this type of equipment in order to make an educated decision. Rushing to make a purchase because you are under the false impression that all of this equipment is basically the same would be a huge mistake on your part. Here are some of the considerations you should make before you buy any safety equipment for offshore drilling activities.
1. How easy will the equipment be to operate?
Some of the safety equipment can be fairly complicated. You should buy equipment that will not require your employees a very long time to master. Ask the company that makes the equipment to give you an overview of how it is operated. This will allow you to find out if your employees can be taught how to safely use the equipment in a relatively short period of time. This info will be good for you to know if you are looking to buy a motion compensating coiled tubing lift frame.
2. Buy the safety equipment that other offshore drilling companies are using.
It would be wise to get in touch with some people who work for the largest and most respected offshore drilling companies. Find out the specific brand of safety equipment that these companies trust every day to protect the lives of their employees. Ask these people if they ever had any problems with the equipment. Has it ever failed during a very crucial moment? Are they happy with the overall performance of the equipment? Make a note of what these people tell you so you can refer back to it later. PRT Offshore manufactures high quality safety equipment that is designed to be used during offshore drilling.
3. Does the company that makes the safety equipment offer training courses?
It would be very helpful to find an offshore drilling safety equipment company that will show all of your employees how to use their products. Not all of the companies that are in this industry will do this. Therefore, you should call each company and verify if training courses will be included with your purchase if you decide to buy their equipment.
4. Will you get a warranty with any of the equipment that you buy?
You need to be sure that you are covered just in case something goes wrong with the offshore drilling safety equipment that you buy. The best way to do this is to make sure that you get a long and comprehensive warranty.
