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Have you ever looked up at a multi-storey building and gazed in awe as a worker casually dangles from a couple of ropes, hundreds of feet above the ground? With more than ten years of experience in the industrial abseiling trade, Mike Bruce is no vertigo sufferer. From scaling down the exhaust of a nuclear reactor to hovering above the North Sea on the leg of an oil platform, Mike's unusual job has gained him expertise in all aspects of working at height, which he now shares with others in his role as a Senior Instructor at AquaTerra Solutions, an Aberdeen-based supplier of work at height-related services.

Having worked for AquaTerra for the past five years, Mike teaches employees throughout the UK the skills needed to work at height safely, including equipment use and fall prevention techniques. Mike also delivers bespoke rescue and recovery training at height and in hostile environments. In addition to advising clients at AquaTerra's purpose-built training facilities in Aberdeen, Mike travels all over the world to deliver on site training at client facilities onshore and offshore. This year alone, he has carried out training in Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East, with additional visits planned over the next few months.

Mike says, "Working at height occurs throughout different industries – more than people realise. The term "at height" applies to any situation where a fall could occur, even if it is at or below ground level. Falling from height is the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of major injury, so it's crucial that personnel working at height are properly trained."

Mike has no qualms about working hundreds of feet above the ground and is confident but never complacent. "The key to working safely is in the planning," he explains. "Assess the risks and put the right controls in place before you begin work, and continuously check your equipment thoroughly. Another important factor is good communication; brief the team properly and ensure everyone knows what they are doing. Confidence in each other's ability is important.

"I wasn't particularly keen on heights when I first started out in industrial abseiling, but comprehensive training and excellent equipment boosted my confidence. Having said that, confidence has never replaced caution, and I never take anything for granted in this job."

Having spent 16 years in mechanics and engineering, Mike decided that he wanted to pursue new challenges offshore and became an industrial abseiler. He has worked on a wide variety of projects from construction work on derricks and down the legs of oil installations, to non-destructive testing and inspection inside a nuclear power station in the south of England.

In 2004, Mike was offered the opportunity to work for AquaTerra, and decided that the time was right to move into a teaching role.

Mike says, "Working as an instructor at AquaTerra means that no two days are the same, and I'm always working with different people. We provide standard training or we can tailor it to suit a client's specific needs, meaning that the courses I teach have a great deal of variety and can change from client to client. My job provides me with a great sense of satisfaction, knowing that I can pass on my skills and experience to others. And of course, there's always something new to learn from other people's experiences."

For anyone who is interested in pursuing a career as a trainer with AquaTerra, more information can be found at www.aquaterra.co.uk, by emailing info@aquaterra.co.uk or calling 01224 710100.

AquaTerra Solutions Ltd

AquaTerra House, Tofthills Avenue, Midmill Business Park, Kintore, Aberdeen, AB51 0QP

Tel: +44 (0) 845 257 7570

Fax: +44 (0) 845 257 7572

info@aquaterra.co.uk

Registered in Scotland No. 262031,
Registered Office: 34 Albyn Place
Aberdeen, AB10 1FW