Search & Rescue Find Emergency Cleaner

24 November 2017 | Updated 01 January 1970

The UK's Search and Rescue Service operated by Bristow Group has commissioned an emergency cleaning specialist to provide de-contamination services for its helicopters and bases.

CleanSafe Services teams are now available 24 hours a day to respond to any urgent cleaning task the search and rescue service needs their help with.

Bristow operates a fleet of advanced search and rescue helicopters at 10 bases across the UK on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Iain Ritchie, Bristow's Search and Rescue Health, Safety, and Environment Advisor, said having access to CleanSafe Service's specialist support will help the service to control operational risks.

He added: "The people we help can be seriously injured or very ill, which presents a contamination risk if not managed properly.

"We have rigorous internal systems in place to effectively control these events. However, where we assess that we need further expert advice and intervention, we have the added assurance of being able to call on CleanSafe Services."

CleanSafe Services Managing Director Steve Broughton said: "Our teams will be ready to provide support for cleaning all structures and surfaces at each of the helicopter bases, and the search and rescue helicopters themselves.

"Aviation sites present specific specialist cleaning risks, such as the need to store aircraft fuel, oils, and hydraulic fluids, that need to be managed in an effective and timely way.

"Also, the vital work carried out by the search and rescue teams creates potential contamination risks to the helicopters and the equipment they carry due, in terms of injuries and illnesses sustained by the people they help.

"Where necessary, we can deploy specialist bio-containment cleaning teams to decontaminate the interiors of aircraft and equipment, safely removing blood or other body fluids, so they are ready for the next emergency call."

CleanSafe's services include bio-containment cleaning, hazardous waste cleaning, and crime scene cleaning, as well as a wider range of emergency cleaning services, including flood and fire damage cleaning.

The Search and Rescue Helicopter Service, operated by Bristow, carried out 2,595 civilian ‘taskings' in the year to the end of March 2017, of which 59 per cent were search and rescue operations.

On average, each of the 10 helicopter bases responded to seven taskings per day. The busiest month was August 2016, with 372 taskings, reflecting the fact that demand for search and rescue support always peaks during the main holiday season.

Picture: The UK's Search and Rescue Service has commissioned an emergency cleaning specialist to provide de-contamination services for its helicopters and bases

Article written by Cathryn Ellis | Published 24 November 2017