Wenaas: safety experts of choice for workwear project

Norway-based Wenaas - the global oil and gas industry’s leading workwear and PPE supplier has been called upon as a key partner in a ground-breaking project known as Arctic Protection, which is part of an overarching research venture called Petromaks. Arctic Protection aims to develop a completely new concept of cold weather protection workwear for the petroleum industry.

The project originates from collaboration between Wenaas parent company Kwintet Norge, research-based innovations company SINTEF, Statoil and Eni Norge.

With a world-renowned head-to-toe safety approach to protective workwear, Wenaas was the obvious choice to provide project consultation in holistic protection.

The results are expected to contribute to increased safety and work efficiency in outdoor work situations in extreme cold climates. The ultimate aim is a safer, more productive - and therefore more cost-effective - workforce.

The project builds upon existing knowledge from a research project called ColdWear, which concluded that existing workwear does not meet the requirements to maintain acceptable dexterity in cold temperatures.

Having commenced in January 2014, the research and development project is expected to announce its findings in 2017.

Early prototypes have been developed by Wenaas and will be tested in autumn/winter 2014 on a platform operated by Eni Norge, followed by more extensive tests on a platform further north the following year. After prototype evaluation, the final step will be to create a quality assured strategy for industry-wide up-scaling of workwear production.

Lee Taylor, Wenaas UK Business Development Manager, says: “Wenaas is delighted to be collaborating with industry leaders in such a ground-breaking project. The level of innovation in the project will mean there will be far-reaching benefits for workers in other industries too, such as mining and the marine sector.”

The Petromaks project will ultimately provide solutions for future winter workwear and PPE ranges including the Wenaas winter workwear range. The 2014 range will be launched this autumn for North Sea offshore operators.

Adapted from a press release by David Bizley

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/31072014/wenaas-safety-experts-of-choice-for-workwear-project/