The UK is literally blowing away the competition

TEESSIDE was at the heart of the first industrial revolution. Indeed, the area largely owes its existence to the insatiable demand for coal, iron and steel that characterised the 19th Century.

Thanks to the discovery of large deposits of iron ore in the Cleveland hills in the 1850s, Teesside steels became the engine room of the revolution helping to construct some of the most famous bridges and buildings in the world.

Today, Britain is poised on the brink of a new revolution - a move to a "clean energy" economy that will wean us off our dependence on fossil fuels and move the country to embrace a more diverse mix of energy sources, such as wind power and nuclear generation.

The transformation will cost the country more than £100bn - and add significantly to household bills - but it will also create thousands of jobs andmake Britain one of the greenest industrialised nations in the world.

Announcing the plan last year Energy Minister Ed Davey said: "Britain's energy sector is embarking on a period of exceptional renewal and expansion.

"Decarbonisation should not mean deindustrialisation.

"The transition to the low carbon economy will depend on products made by energy intensive industries - a wind turbine for example needing steel, cement and high-tech textiles."

And helping those projects become a reality is not a job for the faint-hearted.

In a strange case of history repeating itself, Britain's second industrial revolution will rely on expertise on Teesside.

Some of the Britain's largest civil engineering projects - from the UK's largest on-shore gas storage facility to some of Europe's most ambitious wind farm projects - are being made possible thanks to a small, tight-knit team working for Steel River Consultants (SRC).

The company, based at Concorde House, in Stockton, provides health and safety management services and construction and design management co-ordination to some of the biggest blue chip companies in the world.

In a little over two years, it has won a growing reputation for its expertise and support that has helpedmake some of the country's most ambitious low carbon schemes a reality.

Among some of the projects SRC has worked on are: The Humber GatewayWind Farm, 8km off the East Yorkshire coast, which will produce enough electricity to light 170,000 homes; The UK's largest on-shore gas storage facility, near Aldbrough, in East Yorkshire. The £290m project provides about seven per cent of the UK's total gas storage capacity - enough to supplymore than four million homes - in massive underground caverns; Safety management support for the Teesside offshore wind farm being constructed 1.5km north of Redcar, off the Teesside coast.

Construction design and management and site safety services for the £36m pulverised coal injection plant being built by Siemens at the Sahaviriya Steel Industries (SSI) blast furnace in Redcar, Teesside.

The company was established by managing director Graham Tyerman in August 2010.

Mr Tyerman, 43, a former associate director of a multi-national project management consultancy, in Stockton, and EDF Energy Renewables (EDF-ER), said: "Duringmy time at EDF-ER I realised that the market in renewables needed more competition with regards to construction and design management and health and safety consultancy."

The firm now has a team of eight specialists working for it, the latest recruit being Rob Dotchin, who has more than 18 years experience in the oil and gas construction industry.

Although there are legal health and safety requirements during the construction and design phase, having the right expertise can save time and money.

Mr Tyerman explained: "According to a recent study, 60 per cent of all accidents can be avoided by a good design. It is our job to ensure designers are assessing the significant hazards and risks on a project."

Steel River's experts work with the client and project designers to review the options and, according to Mr Tyerman, the most expensive solution is not necessarily the best.

He added: "It's always a balance between cost and risk. We balance the risks.

"If a project is low risk why would you spend £1m?

"If it's a high risk you would invest in the technology and go for a solution that offers a risk as low as reasonably practicable.

"We have to look at the risks the designers has identified, how they have tried to reduce those risks and, ultimately, have as many risks ameliorated before construction starts.

"We hand over the residual risks, which can't be designed out, to the principal contractor who has to put measures in place to develop the project in as safe a manner as possible."

The renewables industry, particularly offshore wind farm development, presents a whole new set of challenges.

Wind turbines and their connections to the National Grid have to be designed to withstand an incredibly hostile environment, high winds, large waves, storms and the ever-present threat of salt corrosion.

Mr Dotchin said: "The latest windfarms aremoving further offshore so companies have to consider things like the current types of foundations, working in hostile environments, constructing in greater depths of water, transfer of personnel and accommodation.

"It's a much more challenging environment."

Despite that, the North Sea still offers an optimum environment for sea-based wind turbines - relatively shallow waters with high winds - which is why the UK is forging ahead in wind farm development.

Last year, more than 73 per cent of new wind farm capacity was installed in British waters - the UK is literally blowing away the competition. Thanks to the expertise of its team, Steel River is very well positioned - figuratively and literally.

"Being on Teesside we are at the hub many of the UK's largest renewable projects, " said Mr Tyerman.

And the company's burgeoning reputation has contributed to its spectacular growth.

Turnover has grown from £256,000 in the first year to £850,000 this year.

For the future, Mr Tyerman hopes to keep expanding the business working on health and safety consultancy across a broad spectrum of industries with a particular emphasis on renewables.

"This is only the beginning," he said.

"Britain is investing heavily in a low-carbon future and it's a great feeling to be playing such a big part in it.

"Enlightened companies know the value we bring to a big project.

"We should be one of the first appointments and we should become an integral part of the project management team.

"Because, at the end of the day, the better the project is run at the front end, in design, themore cost you can save and the smoother it runs."