Winch Operator Course

Man-riding with winches has been identified as a substantially hazardous activity, and for that reason, should only be carried out by competent personnel with suitable controlling procedures in place, and with equipment that is designed for that purpose. Winch Operator course is designed to reduce risk associated with man riding by winches.

Anchor Handling Winch operations have its own hazards ie overload, brake slipping, wire parting and sometimes winch uprooting from the foundation bolts. How to safely operate and  identify these hazards well in advance is the purpose of this course.

The key goal of the Anchor Handling Winch Operator Course is to provide participants with the essential knowledge about towing and anchor handling winch operations and practical skills required to perform them onboard.

Another aim of the course is to demonstrate possible dangers associated with the basic winch operations and train students to avoid emergencies and cope with them.

Target Audience Winch Operator Course

Candidates desirable of taking up jobs on Drilling rigs. All personnel who are involved and / or required to carry out work using man-riding winch.

Personnel working on Anchor Handling vessels or Work Barge – Chief Engineer and Others operating Anchor Handling winch.

Course Content 

Man Riding Winch:

• Alternatives To Man-Riding
• Planning, Risk Assessment And Toolbox Talks
• Competence
• Types Of Man-Riding Winches And Their Safety Features
• Associated Equipment
• Certification And Pre-Use Inspection
• PPE
• Harnesses
• Connection Points And Tools
• Communications
• Secondary Fall Protection And Rescue Plans
• Safe Operation

Anchor Handling Winch:

• Anchor Handling Winch design
• Carrying out operations keeping in mind enormous forces involved
• Braking mechanism
• Different types of Brake bands
• Greasing points and maintenance schedule
• Water cooling system of the winch hydraulics
• Changing 76 mm and 90 mm anchor chain gypsy
• Changing over of towing and anchor handling drums
• Engaging the anchor chain gypsy

Tower Winch Operator:

Pipelay vessels have these kind of arrangements of continuous ahead movement. 8 Anchors are controlled by an operator sitting at anchor handling control room with data / length of wire / video footage of each of the 8 anchors.

This control room is at the highest point on the vessel so that he can visually see all around what the anchor handling boats are doing. So the term tower winch operator.