North Sea workers face offshore ban under helicopter weight limit
Around 800 North Sea offshore oil and gas workers risk being barred from their jobs from 1 November, when a new safety rule capping worker weight at 19st 7lb (124kg) in full clothing and boots comes into force. The limit is being introduced because it matches the maximum load Coastguard rescue helicopter winches can safely lift, and industry body Offshore Energies UK says the change is essential to ensure workers can still be evacuated by helicopter winch in an emergency.
The cap is calculated from the average weight of a rescue worker (14st), a stretcher (4.5st) and the rig worker plus kit, against a helicopter winch limit of 39st. Graham Skinner of Offshore Energies UK said the number of overweight workers has already fallen from 2,200 when the policy was announced last year to around 800 now, but urged those who haven't started losing weight to act urgently with only about eight weeks left before the rule takes effect.
- New rule bans workers over 19st 7lb from North Sea helicopter flights from 1 November
- Limit set by maximum safe winch load of rescue helicopters
- About 800 workers still exceed the cap, down from 2,200 last year
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Hundreds of North Sea oil workers are too heavy for offshore helicopters as new rules come in”.