Hundreds of North Sea workers are still too heavy for offshore helicopter travel less than two months before new rules become mandatory on 1 November. From this date, workers must weigh no more than 124.7kg (19.5st) in their clothing and footwear to ensure they can be winched to safety in an emergency.
When the plans were announced last year by industry body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), over 2,200 workers were above the limit. New figures, based on over 35,000 offshore traveller records collected between April and August, suggest up to 800 still exceed it.
The new safe weight limit policy follows a warning from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) that rescue winches cannot safely lift heavier people. The maximum Coastguard rescue helicopter winch load is 249kg (39st), which includes the worker's clothed weight, a rescue worker, a stretcher, and kit.
OEUK's health, safety and security manager, Graham Skinner, stated that workers who are over 124kg on 1 November will not be able to go to work. An employment law specialist, Will Rollinson, indicated that job termination could be a possibility if an employee cannot meet the limit and alternative onshore roles are not feasible, though companies are expected to explore support and alternatives.