Member Article

Falck Safety Services welcomes new offshore wind strategy

Falck Safety Services, a world leader in the offshore and maritime sector, has welcomed the announcement of a new strategy for the offshore wind industry, calling it a “significant step forward” for the industry and its supply chains.

The company, which provides training for delegates from the oil and gas, renewables, shipping, defence and aviation industries worldwide and has UK centres in Teesside and Scotland, particularly welcomed the establishment of a new Offshore Wind Investment Organisation by UKTI to attract inward investment to the UK. Other highlights it praised include the new ‘Green Investment Bank’ which aims to invest over £1bn in offshore wind by 2015 by co-investing in projects with commercial parties.

Colin Leyden, Managing Director of Falck Safety Services, said: “The measures outlined in the new strategy, which has significantly been formulated by a combination of business and governmental minds, is a notable step forward for the offshore wind industry. The crucial announcement must be the commitment to develop a UK supply chain coupled with training commitments.”

Mr Leyden added: “The offshore wind industry is a crucial element in the energy mix and its importance to the UK economy cannot be under-estimated. The UK is number one in the world for offshore wind power generation in terms of installed capacity, and we have the biggest pipeline up to 2020.

“The new strategy has several key focuses, including investment and training as well as new initiatives, and these represent some genuine advances. “There is a balance to strike however between the need to secure our energy future, and clean up our energy sector – while preserving the UK’s natural environment for future generations.”

Falck Safety Services, which delivers safety training to over 260,000 people each year, is currently embarking on a programme of investment to meet the safety training needs of international clients working in increasingly hostile and difficult working environments.

As well as offering the GWO and RenewableUK courses, Falck Safety Services also provides fitness to work assessments, as per the RUK guidelines and complementary training such as slinger, banksman, rigging and lifting training, making it a one-stop-shop for the wind industry.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Recognition PR Business Team .