Grade Assessments (GA) – Examples of 3 Activities to Assess your Performance

Supervising a team during routine General Visual Inspection (GVI) of subsea structures prior to decommissioning.

The activity is fairly routine and the shift consists of the following personnel in addition to the supervisor:

• Senior PT (5 years plus experience but mainly in construction work)
• PT I (2 years of GVI experience)
• PTII (relatively inexperienced)

During the operation it becomes apparent that the Senior PT has little experience of flying small ROV’s and also in the details of General Visual Inspection. They are unwilling to accept advice from the less experienced PTI.

The Supervisor has to allocate most of the challenging parts of the piloting to the PTI and this further builds the tension in the team. The Supervisor is also keen to allow the PTII to build their experience.

In successfully dealing with this, the Supervisor has to involve the client in discussions as they are aware of the tension. The Supervisor also has to liaise with the onshore project team.

Performance criteria within the following competencies will be assessed:

Competence 3: Demonstrates the ability to coach personnel and assess their skills and in the workplace.

Competence 6: Demonstrates the ability to implement effective management techniques in the workplace.

Competence 7: Demonstrates the ability to liaise with the client and shore-based management personnel.

Evidence may include:

• Emails sent to the onshore project team
• Copies of appraisal/feedback forms to the Senior PT
• Copies of meeting minutes with the client
• Possibly a statement from the client on the Supervisors performance in handling the situation

Supervising a team during ‘dead sub recovery’

The ROV has lost power during a critical part of the operation. There is a strong seabed and through-water current with poor visibility at working depth. The surface swell is 2 to 3 metres however due to increase within the next 4 hours.

In successfully dealing with this Performance criteria within the following competencies will be assessed:

Competence 1: Demonstrates the ability to operate the Company Safety Management System in the workplace.

Competence 2: Demonstrates the ability to manage the ROV Team during emergency situations.

Competence 3: Demonstrates the ability to coach Personnel and assess their skills and in the workplace (NB: After the event!)

Competence 4: Demonstrates the ability to ensure safe and effective seamanship techniques are carried out by the ROV Team when working offshore.

Competence 5: Demonstrates the ability to assess the risks posed by the environment and make operational decisions.

Competence 6: Demonstrates the ability to implement effective management techniques in the workplace.

Competence 7: Demonstrates the ability to liaise with the Client and Shore Based Management Personnel (Liaising with vessel crew, including Master and client during the recovery).

Competence 8: Demonstrates the ability to manage administrative requirements in the workplace (a detailed report will be required after the event).

Evidence may include:

• The fact that the ROV is safely recovered in reasonably good condition (Product Evidence).
• Associated reports generated during the emergency procedure.

Supervising a team during mobilisation.

The vessel is in port and is going through a mobilisation prior to a long-term construction project. All the equipment (ROV, LARS, Workshop) will be fitted and a dedicated control and ops room will be fitted out is allocated space on the vessel. The mobilisation is expected to take a week to 10 days, working 12-hour shifts (e.g. 6:00AM to 6:00PM)

Performance criteria within the following competencies will be assessed:

Competence 1: Demonstrates the ability to operate the Company Safety Management System in the workplace.

Competence 3: Demonstrates the ability to coach Personnel and assess their skills and in the workplace.

Competence 6: Demonstrates the ability to implement effective management techniques in the workplace.

Competence 7: Demonstrates the ability to liaise with the Client and Shore Based Management Personnel.

Competence 8:  Demonstrates the ability to manage administrative requirements in the workplace.

Competence 9: Demonstrates the ability to manage and co-ordinate mobilisation and de-mobilisation activities in the workplace.

Competence 10: Demonstrates the ability to implement and manage Company Quality Systems in the workplace.

Evidence may include:

• The mobilisation successfully completed safely, within timescales and in accordance with company procedures.
• Written reports and logs.
• Safety meeting records.

Possible feedback from Master/Deck Supervisor or Client Representative on board.

Performing as Pilot and Observer during routine General Visual Inspection (GVI) of subsea structures prior to decommissioning.

The activity is fairly routine and the shift consists of the following personnel in addition to the supervisor:

• Senior PT (5 years plus experience in GVI)
• PT I (1 years of GVI experience)
• PTII (relatively inexperienced)

The activity takes place over approximately 48 hours and takes place in relatively strong currents of varying directions throughout the dive. The inspection requires the use of CP Probe for corrosion monitoring on exposed steel and anodes, Flooded Member detection and wall thickness gauge. All inspection equipment requires fitting to the ROV and calibrating prior to use.

During the inspection the ROV returns to the TMS (Garage) on a number of occasions when the current is too strong to operate.

During one of the dives the PTII is piloting however inadvertently allows the ROV to become tangled around a horizontal member. The PTI takes control and manages to recover the ROV although it suffers damage to the tether. A re-termination of the tether is required.

Performance criteria within the following competencies will be assessed:

Competence 1: Demonstrates the ability to perform activities in a safe manner in accordance with legislative and operating company requirements.

Competence 2: Demonstrates the ability to participate in emergency procedures as required on the vessel or installation where operations take place.

Competence 3: Demonstrates the ability to perform in a Team and co-operate in all operational activities in a safe and reliable manner.

Competence 6: Demonstrates the ability to remove, test and inspect auxiliary equipment as used in routine ROV operations.

Competence 7: Demonstrates the ability to perform all the duties required of an observer, including deck checks, during normal operational activities.

Competence 8: Demonstrates the ability to assist the ROV Team in electrical and mechanical umbilical re-terminations.

Competence 9: Demonstrates the ability to undertake all routine administrative tasks that are required to be undertaken during normal ROV operations.

Competence 10: Demonstrates the ability to pilot an ROV system during normal subsea activities including launch and recovery operations. The Candidate must successfully complete 100 hours piloting over a minimum of 180 offshore days.

Evidence may include:

• Observation: Piloting the ROV, acting as an Observer, Calibrating and fitting sensors, re-terminating the tether, Freeing the ROV from entanglement
• Product: A repaired tether done safely, in accordance with procedures in a suitable time period
• Written: Dive logs, repair logs, calibration logs
• Questioning: General questions about the operation and tether repair

Fixing a fault caused by water ingress.

During a routine dive a water ingress alarm was activated. Within a very short time all ROV monitors blacked out. Luckily the ROV was still in the TMS and had just arrived at working depth. The system was powered down and an immediate recovery made.

Once on deck a fault-finding procedure was instigated by the Senior PT and PTI.  It was found that a seal had failed due to being incorrectly installed during routine maintenance. The camera Power Supply Unit (PSU 3) had failed, and the main fuse blown.

A replacement board was fitted, and the camera control pod thoroughly cleaned and inspected. The seal was replaced correctly. Once reassembled the system was thoroughly tested and made ready to dive.

Some of the performance criteria within the following competencies will be assessed:

Competence 1: Demonstrates the ability to perform activities in a safe manner in accordance with legislative and operating company requirements.

Competence 3: Demonstrates the ability to perform in a Team and co-operate in all operational activities in a safe and reliable manner.

Competence 5: Demonstrates the ability to undertake routine fault-finding activities on ROV electrical, electronic and video systems.

Competence 9: Demonstrates the ability to undertake all routine administrative tasks that are required to be undertaken during normal ROV operations.

Evidence may include:

• Observation: Repairing the ROV
• Product: The ROV has been successfully repaired, safely and in reasonable time frame
• Written: Fault/ Repair Log

ROV Refit in company workshop.

A work class ROV is in base and going to undergo a major refit over an intense 3-week period.  The refit will include replacing many hydraulics components, cabling, and connectors. It will also involve the upgrade of the control system.

Various pieces of new tooling will also be tested as part of the refit. Routine fault finding will also take place as various tasks are carried out. The umbilical will also be re-terminated as required on an annual basis.

Performance criteria within the following competencies will be assessed:

Competence 1: Demonstrates the ability to perform activities in a safe manner in accordance with legislative and operating company requirements.

Competence 4: Demonstrates the ability to undertake all routine preventative maintenance activities that are required to be carried out on ROV electrical systems.

Competence 4a: Demonstrates the ability to undertake all routine preventative maintenance activities that are required to be carried out on ROV hydraulic and mechanical systems.

Competence 5: Demonstrates the ability to undertake routine fault-finding activities on ROV electrical, electronic and video systems.

Competence 5a: Demonstrates the ability to undertake routine fault-finding activities on ROV hydraulic and mechanical system systems.

Competence 6: Demonstrates the ability to remove, test and inspect auxiliary equipment as used in routine ROV operations.

Competence 8: Demonstrates the ability to assist the ROV Team in electrical and mechanical umbilical re-terminations.

Competence 9: Demonstrates the ability to undertake all routine administrative tasks that are required to be undertaken during normal ROV operations.

Evidence may include:

• Observation: Ongoing during the refit
• Product: Equipment fitted and tested safely and in accordance with company procedures
• Written: Maintenance logs, fault reports, procedures, etc
• Questioning: During various stages of the project

Activity 1: Conducting Survey activities when laying a power cable to a wind farm.

The activity is fairly routine and the shift consists of the following personnel in addition to the supervisor:

• Party Chief (An Assessor with 7 years experience however mainly in construction activities)
• Senior Surveyor (5+ years experience in cable lay activities)
• Grade I Surveyor(1 years’ experience in of routine Survey operations)
• Data Processor/ Survey Engineer

The activity takes place over the initial project mobilisation and calibration phase, where the survey software and sensors are installed and configured on both the vessel and ROVs.

During the operation the Grade 1 Surveyor dedicates a vast amount of time to the issues and essentially ‘goes above and beyond’ to bring the project to a successful outcome

During the project the Grade 1 Surveyor is directly involved in the following tasks

• Assisting with collecting, processing and monitoring survey data
• Assisting with the calibration, set up and operation of Survey Equipment
• Assisting with the setup, troubleshooting, calibration and operation of cable lay software

Performance criteria within the following competencies will be assessed:

Competence 1: The ability to install and configure technical software packages

Competence 3: The ability to set up online systems

Competence 4: The ability to plan and undertake the calibration of the survey system and sensors

Competence 8: The ability to calculate tidal and water column parameters for use within the survey system/project

Competence 9: The ability to install and configure positioning systems

Competence 10:  The ability to calibrate positioning systems

Evidence may include:

• Observation: Throughout the project and whilst calibrating and setting up software
• Product: A functioning software system
• Written: Calibration logs, fault reports
• Questioning: General questions about tidal calculations

Activity 2: Conducting a Pipeline Survey using a workclass ROV system

The Pipeline Survey is fairly routine and involves a work class ROV system. The Survey team consists of:

• Party Chief (Recently trained Assessor)
• Senior Surveyor who is acting as Data Processor too
• Senior Survey Engineer
• Grade 1 Surveyor
• Grade II Surveyor

The majority of the tasks carried out by the Grade 1 Surveyor are related to setting up sensors, operating software and positioning systems. Data logging is the responsibility of the online surveyor. The Grade I Surveyor also demonstrates the ability to coach the Grade II Surveyor which, although beyond the scope of their current competencies, is noted in the feedback report by the Assessor.

Some of the Performance criteria within the following competencies will be assessed:

Competence 1: The ability to install and configure technical software packages
Competence 2: The ability to interpret data quality criteria
Competence 3: The ability to set up online systems
Competence 4: The ability to plan and undertake the calibration of the survey system and sensors
Competence 5: The ability to implement an onboard data management system
Competence 6: The ability to archive and backup survey data
Competence 9: The ability to install and configure positioning systems
Competence 10:  The ability to calibrate positioning systems
Competence 11: The ability to calculate and adjust survey observations
Competence 12: The ability to interpret and apply datum parameters
Competence 13: The ability to demonstrate an understanding of survey principles and how they are used for planning surveys

Evidence may include:

Observation: During routine Survey operations during the project
Product: Successful calibration of sensors, archive of data
Written: Calibration logs
Questioning: Understanding of Survey principles that apply to this project

Activity 3: Deepwater Routine Maintenance Project involving the replacement of some subsea infrastructure

The specific job of the survey team is to ensure that vessel is accurately positioned during the operation. The Grade 1 Surveyor is therefore mainly involved in the initial set up of navigation and positioning systems along with the operation throughout the project. The Survey team consists of:

• Party Chief (Qualified Assessor)
• Senior Survey Engineer
• Grade 1 Surveyor

Some of the Performance Criteria within the following competencies will be assessed:

Competence 1: The ability to install and configure technical software packages

Competence 3: The ability to set up online systems

Competence 9: The ability to install and configure positioning systems

Competence 10:  The ability to calibrate positioning systems

Competence 11: The ability to calculate and adjust survey observations

Competence 12: The ability to interpret and apply datum parameters

Competence 13: The ability to demonstrate an understanding of survey principles and how they are used for planning surveys

Evidence may include:

• Observation: Ongoing during general operations
• Product: Systems set up and operating correctly
• Written: Calibration reports/logs
• Questioning: During various stages to assess understanding of survey principles