Annex 10 puts heat on seats at Seawork

KPM is the only company currently producing a seat which satisfies both the new Annex 10 requirement and also complies with the EU’s whole body vibration regulations. Offshore wind farm support vessels built to the DNV classification must be fitted with seats complying with Annex 10.

Many vessels currently in operation are fitted with what are effectively truck seats with a vertical suspension. However, boats do not work in the same way as trucks and tests have shown that only 30% of the forces encountered by boat passengers are vertical, the other 70% coming from fore and aft movements. The elliptical travel path of the KPM seats counters those forces and results in a seat which is nearly 100% efficient.

This is born out by impressive test results which result in a Head Injury Criterion of only 29 compared to the figure of 500 allowed by Annex 10. For neck flexion, which is the main cause of whiplash, the Crew 100 seat allowed only 1.46Nm compared to the High Speed Code specified safe limit of 88Nm.

Not only are the KPM seats safest of any tested in the crash tests, they have also undergone extensive comfort trials, delivering a high level of occupant satisfaction and reducing fatigue by maintaining a neutral spine position. They also reduce pressure points by eliminating unnecessary seat moulding. These lightweight, double acting seats thus deliver engineers to offshore wind turbines with their cognitive capabilities still intact, a useful state to be in when transferring onto and climbing turbine towers.

Also of note, law firms are now appearing with specialisation in whole body vibration at sea litigation. There were some 1,300 collisions at sea in 2010, resulting in 953 injuries and 66 deaths. Many of these vessels collided with non-moving objects, causing impacts very much like those produced during the testing in which KPM seats excelled. And, as Jules Morgan, KPM’s design and technical director told MJ, “Where there is legislation, there is litigation.”

Following rigorous design protocols has brought Seawork honours to KPM Marine. The company won the prestigious Spirit of Innovation Award at Seawork 2009 for its Run Dry Pumping System. This was followed by the Vessel Design category award in 2010 for its Triple Stage Shock Mitigation Seating and KPM was then runner-up for the top award last year for its Eco-Mast Renewable Onboard Power Generation.

In addition to its seating systems, the full range of KPM Marine’s design innovation will be on display for visitors to Stand A263 at Seawork 2012.