Pete Garland celebrated his 80th birthday today – making him potentially one of the North Sea’s oldest offshore workers.
The helideck inspector joined the Aberdeen-based Helideck Certification Agency (HCA) in the early 90s.
More than three decades on, he still regularly travels offshore to certify that helidecks – landing platforms on oil rigs- meet legal requirements and comply with strict safety standards.
Pete, who is widowed and has two sons and two grandsons, also mentors his fellow inspectors.
His colleagues pulled out the stops for his landmark birthday with a cake in the shape of his favourite workplace snack – a sausage roll – baked by Operations Co-ordinator Louise Andrew.
Pete told The Press and Journal: “On Friday night I had some celebrations with friends. We went out for a nice meal, followed by some booze.
“I don’t remember much about that night, but it was definitely a good one.
“Then I came into the office today and there were balloons, sausage rolls, cakes and all sorts. Then of course there was the best of both worlds with the sausage roll-shaped cake.
“The cake was beautiful! I couldn’t believe that it wasn’t a real sausage roll.
“Young Louise did a great job with that.
“I’m always on about how much I love my sausage rolls, so there were loads of little ones brought on to go along with the cakes.”
Helideck inspector assisted with Piper Alpha rescues
Pete signed up to the Navy in 1960 at the age of 15. 12 years later in 1972 he joined British Airways Helicopters as a Search and Rescue crewman.
He was awarded the Royal Human Society award in 1979 for his role in the rescue of a seaman overcome by fumes on a bulk oil tanker.
Recalling one of the most challenging days of his career, Pete spoke of how he was called in for rescues during the Piper Alpha disaster.
He said: “Me and my colleague were called back in to man up a chinook. We got over the beach before being recalled to man up a winched aircraft to do some rescues.
“That was a sad, sad night.”
Later in his career, he became a go-to at HCA for helicopter landing areas on super yachts – a gig he said he could get used to.
Pete said: “I love doing the yachts, it’s a lot easier than having to put on PPE and work boots. I can just take my shoes off and go on board!
“I’ve met a few owners over the years. The one that treated me best was a French chemist who invited me onto the yacht for a meal.
“I felt quite at home there, it was very nice!”
Pete has ‘no plans to slow up anytime soon’
One of the main highlights for HCA’s most senior workers is the friends he has made along the way.
Pete said: “I think just making friends with a lot of the offshore guys. They have a big gruff exterior but a lot of them are real softies.
“Every rescue I did was of course a highlight too, as well as there being some really sad ones.
“I’m still usually the last one in the office and I have no plans to slow up any time soon.”
When asked what keeps him going at 80, he replied: “You have to keep going, don’t you? Often when you stop working you don’t last very long.
“It definitely keeps me physically fit too… have you seen some of the stairs on these platforms!
“My missus passed away 21 years ago but I’ve got two sons and two grandsons, they’re very supportive and pleased to see me keep going.
“Suppose it keeps the tax man happy too!”
Pete is ‘a real mentor to other HCA inspectors’
Dave Rae, Managing Director at HCA said: “Pete is a fantastic character with so much experience and is a great ambassador for HCA.
“He still loves getting out and about to inspect helidecks and is always ready to pass on his knowledge and expertise to others.
“He’s a real mentor to the other HCA inspectors and is always ready to share an anecdote from his long career.”
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