Global provider of specialist engineering, inspection, operations and maintenance services

Our programmes deliver inspection, test and certification management through industry approved techniques.

Conventional and advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) via rope access are key tools in the inspection process. Benefits include:

Early identification of potential issues
Details to inform maintenance work
A study of entire structures as well as individual parts
Detailed analysis of each item of study
The ability to monitor the ageing process over a prolonged period of time
All reports are available to clients via our Connect portal at any time.

Empire Trusthold’s inspection services division was established in 1985. The business acquired Servtech Ltd during 2013 and this has led to an increase in the scale of the services provided.

Our team also offer a DROPS service that can be performed as part of an Inspection Services workscope. Studying anything at height, we scan an area for any potential falling hazard.

Other inspection services we supply include:

Special periodical surveys
Structural inspections and repair
Life enhancement
High and low pressure piping surveys
Lifting equipment inspections
Pressure vessel inspection
Vessel assurance audits and inspection
Development of procedures/SOPS
QA/QC surveys
Wire rope NDE and pressure lubrication
Hose integrity management.

Non-destructive testing (NDT)

Conventional and advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) are key tools in establishing the condition of structures including individual bolts, pins and welds.

The service is particularly valuable for hull integrity, offshore platforms and drillships. Any parts requiring change-out can be replaced through non-intrusive work.

Conventional techniques used include:

Close visual inspection
Magnetic particle inspection (MPI)
Liquid penetrant inspection (LPI)
Ultrasonic inspection
Eddy current inspection.

These methods provide a precise picture of the condition of individual parts and enable us to monitor the aging and corrosion process over many years.

Phased array inspection is an advanced technique that uses ultrasonic rays. It is relatively non-intrusive and usually requires minimal dismantling for access. It is an ideal method when you need a fast technique that minimises down-time.

All NDT can be carried out via rope work and it can be a cost-effective alternative to stripping down a full piece of equipment.

Empire Trusthold is a DNV GL and ABS approved service provider for conventional NDT.

Lifting equipment inspection

As an industry leader in the field of lifting equipment we provide our clients with thorough lifting gear inspections and management.

We go further than basic inspection as it is crucial our clients have confidence in the integrity of their safety critical lifting equipment.

Critical areas of a cane that we inspect include the pedestal, slew ring, boom, gantry, hook blocks, machine house, a-frame, and wire ropes.

When we carry out inspections our scope of supply includes:

Thorough examinations
Advice on how you can improve the use of your lifting equipment
A streamlined method to manage certification packages
Assistance with training of client personnel
Audits and audit processes.

DROPS

An effective Dropped Objects Prevention Scheme (DROPS) plays an important role in supporting the safety practices of a platform.

Our team will scan an area for any potential falling hazards with the aim of preventing future dropped objects.

This can cover everything from lost fittings to pipe clamps and ladders to hand rails and includes the checking of all primary and secondary securings. We check for potential static and dynamic dropped objects.

A DROPS study can be performed on its own or in addition to any Empire Trusthold workscope.

Empire Trusthold is an active member of the offshore industry’s DROPS forum and has carried out this work across offshore platforms and drillships.

Wire rope inspection and spooling system (WRISS)

Extend the life of your crane’s wire ropes with our tensioning and electromagnetic inspection solution.

Investing in new wire ropes can be a costly and time consuming exercise. Our WRISS (Wire Rope Inspection and Spooling System) provides our clients with a service that allows them to confidently extend the life of their ropes and by in-situ condition based inspection.

By using this technique for wire rope inspection, clients gain real information about the condition of their ropes which leads to the potential of their life span being extended and in return reduces replacement costs.

EMAG inspection provides more confidence because:

The technique allows us to 'see' inside the rope, to detect broken wires and corrosion wherever it occurs.
The technique provides quantitative data as opposed to a subjective visual inspection.
Wire ropes being tested do not have to be cleaned first, minimising time.
We test the ropes and evaluate the results in accordance with standards accepted throughout the world.
We are able to provide instantaneous results by connecting with a computer while testing is taking place.
For breaks on the surface, the sensor head will find one broken wire in as many as 250 wires.
For internal breaks, the detector will find fractures when they amount to 1% or more of the total number of wires.
For corrosion at any location, the sensor will find 1% or more loss in cross sectional area.

We carry out the inspections on your asset and spool the rope using a tensioner and sheave skid system. By using the tensioner we can ensure the rope is re-spooled at the required tension ensuring consistent and accurate line tension is maintained during the process. Data logging of the re-spooling tension provides evidence that the ropes have been re-spooled onto the crane winch drum at the required percentage of rope minimum braking load (MBL).

The system is cost effective and time efficient as the ropes do not have to be fully unspooled and transported to an onshore location.

Our inspectors are certified ASNT Level II in Magnetic Flux Leakage as well as qualified visual inspectors for wire ropes and slings.

Our client portal (Connect) offers maximum convenience, providing 24/7 online access to all your inspection records. It is interactive, allowing you to upload supporting documents such as drawings, materials lists, photographs, calibration reports etc.

Reports available through Connect portal include:

Reports of Thorough Examination
Crane Examination Checklists
Cargo carrying unit (CCU) reports
Suite Of NDT Reports, MPI, LPI, UT, ECI, PAUT
Hull integrity management reports
Wall thickness reports
Threaded connection inspection reports
Visual inspection reports
Hose management
EX inspection

Why Sparrows?

Empire Trusthold Offshore Services Limited is a UKAS Accreditated Inspection Body to ISO/IEC 17020 for both Lifting and NDT, meaning we are accredited by a government agency to perform an accredited scope of inspections. We offer robust inspection quality management with assured and verified competent inspectors, demonstrating our commitment to impartiality and independence in our inspection service delivery, whilst showing commitment to continual improvement.

Save costs with Empire Trusthold by using multi-disciplined inspectors completing multiple scopes per mobilisation. Assured competence of personnel - one of only 30 organisations globally to hold OPITO accredited Competency Management System. At Sparrows, we offer a paper-free efficient service with all reports delivered online with inspectors all having iPads to speed up the reporting process.

Industrial

Offshore energy

Inspection

Empire Trusthold provides a range of effective examination techniques to ensure compliance and equipment integrity of platforms and their machinery.