Transport Canada EER Research and Development Program

The paper describes a multiyear offshore installation Escape, Evacuation, and Rescue (EER) research and development program carried out from 2000 to 2007. The general objective of the work was to develop performance-based design standards and guidelines for optimal EER systems for installations in Canadian waters. Phase 1 involved developing a risk and performance evaluation tool, reviewing existing regulations, implementing recent Ocean Ranger recommendations, and conducting various applied research programs including those on human performance in EER. Phase 2 work focused on developing preliminary performance-based standards that can be used by offshore regulators for the selection of evacuation systems. Phase 3 involved further refinement of the standards based on model and full-scale testing and computer simulation. While standards ultimately developed as a result of this research are intended to be applied nationally in Canada, they may also be proposed as international standards.