An electronic messaging service passes vital product information around the company instantaneously. An early warning system highlights in advance when products are due for inspection, and there is colour coding for defective products to avoid the possibility of them being overlooked and put back into service.

Vestas Offshore UK is typical of the type of organisation that can benefit from using the system. It is a large operator for whom safety is of key importance and for whom significant quantities of lifting gear need to be monitored and inspected.

Kentish Flats service technician Peter Martin said, 'CertMan has definitely taken the stress out of the certification and inspection process, giving us more time to focus on our core business.

'Every six months an engineer comes out and makes an inspection of all our lifting gear including Personal Protection Equipment. The service details are then recorded onto CertMan, reports are available from Certex within hours, and we can view our equipment register online at any time. This ensures that paper work is always up to date. W know when individual inspections are due and, most importantly, we have peace of mind that safety on site is always being maintained.'

Relevant for both fixed and portable lifting equipment, CertMan produces SI 2307 certificates, full inspection histories for auditing purposes, method statements and product defect reports. Operators are issued with secure ID and passwords and there is online technical support.

In addition to the contract with Vestas at Kentish Flats, Certex provides similar services for the Scroby Sands Wind Farm off the Norfolk coast through its Erith and Great Yarmouth regional centres. Certex Denmark also has a contract with the Vestas group for CertMan.