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Donut

The patented Donut Personal Controlled Descent Device is the offshore industry standard. It was designed and developed in a response to the Piper Alpha tragedy, with the cooperation of the UK Regulatory Authorities and North Sea operators.

Liferaft entry enhancement – remotely located liferaft

Donut is a simple, lightweight device designed as a tertiary means of escape from a vessel when conventional means are not possible. It enables personnel to escape by means of individual controlled descent once the device has been attached to a handrail or other load bearing structure. It is easy to use and requires minimal physical effort.

Donut – Guided Escape to a Liferaft

It is virtually impossible for an evacuee to gain entry into a throw-over liferaft without the use of the Donut Personal Controlled Descent Device. This is due to the difficulty caused by apposing wind and sea conditions.

With the use of an additional strap that attaches to the painter line of the liferaft, the user is guided towards the liferaft during descent. More importantly, once in the water, the risk of the user being washed away is alleviated. The Donut provides the user a guaranteed entry to the safety of the liferaft.

Advantages of Donut over conventional methods of evacuation:

• Cost – if properly maintained and re-certified, the Donut need only be purchased once within the lifetime of an asset.
• Inspection – Donut requires to be inspected only once every 4 years within a recognised inspection scheme.
• Fixed means, can’t reach them, can’t use them – Donut is highly portable allowing the user to choose the best time and position to make their escape.
• Multi-user system, people may have to wait their turn – Donut is one man, one use, with no reliance to wait for others.
• Physical effort – Donut requires no physical strength by the user to operate.
• Once at the bottom the user has no other option than to enter water – Donut allows the user to stop their descent and lock off above the water, remaining dry, visible and warm to await rescue.
• No provision for casualties – Donut Rescue can be used to evacuate injured or unconscious personnel.

Donut

Donut provides full back-up for product recertification and have in place a reminder service, whereby we advise the owner/operator on the recertification status of all Donut units installed onboard their installations, allowing certification compliance to be maintained at all times.

Donut also provides various options for hire of Donut units: short term hire for time of recertification, long term hire to cover increase of POB at time of major maintenance programs or shut downs, whereby hiring is more favourable to purchasing, helping spread the costs with a low daily hire rate.

Recertification

Donut Personal Controlled Descent Devices are available in standard descent lengths of 15mtrs, 32mtrs, 46mtrs, 65mtrs & 76mtrs and in either Liferaft compatible or standard (vertical descent) model types. Longer lengths available on special order.