Industry body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) announced, in a statement sent to Rigzone recently, that “practical solutions for healthier lifestyles and support for managing weight loss” will be shared by the group as part of its campaign to raise awareness of a new safety policy for people working offshore.
That new safety initiative is called the Safe Weight Limit Policy and comes into effect in November 2026, the statement highlighted. In the statement, OEUK described the policy as “an industry-wide initiative that has been developed following extensive engagement between OEUK, HM Coastguard, helicopter operators, and member companies”.
“It addresses the increase in the weight of offshore workers – a trend also seen across the UK population – which has associated challenges for evacuation, rescue, and medical response offshore,” OEUK said in the statement.
According to an explainer page on the Safe Weight Limit Policy on OEUK’s website, the clothed weight limit for offshore workers under the policy is 124kg, including a 0.7kg margin. Clothed weight refers to a person’s weight while dressed in accordance with the industry travel clothing policy for the relevant season, the page notes.
The page outlines that the limit “ensures every person can be safely evacuated or rescued, particularly by search and rescue (SAR) helicopter winch”.
“The combined load of the winchman, stretcher, and equipment leaves a maximum capacity of 124.7kg for a patient. Anyone above this weight cannot be guaranteed rescue by SAR helicopter,” the page highlights.
The policy applies to all offshore installations operating under accepted Safety Cases as defined in the Offshore Installations (Offshore Safety Directive) (Safety Case etc.) Regulations 2015 and does not apply to marine vessels, which are governed by different regulations, the page shows. It also applies only to outbound (offshore) flights, according to the page, which points out that there are no weight restrictions for return flights to shore.
OEUK’s page outlines that the implementation phase for the policy will come in three stages. From November 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026, is the introduction and awareness phase, from February 1 to October 31, 2026, is the transition phase, and from November 1, 2026, is the mandatory compliance phase, under which workers over 124kg cannot travel offshore, the page shows.
“During the transition phase, OEUK medical examiners will issue reduced-duration certificates for individuals near or above 124kg. After 1 Nov, 2026, no certificate will be issued to anyone exceeding 124kg,” the pages states.
A video hosted on OEUK’s explainer page highlighted that the offshore industry is “collectively introducing” the weight limit “after extensive consultation with industry experts, unions, and regulators”. OEUK notes on the page that it will continue to review the policy based on operational experience, legal developments, and stakeholder feedback.
On its explainer page, OEUK says it estimates around 5,000 offshore workers may be affected to varying degrees. Most are expected to meet the limit through gradual weight reduction, the page adds.
“We are committed to ensuring that in the run-up to implementing the changes next November, people have the support and information they need to comply with the new policy,” Graham Skinner, OEUK’s Health and Safety Manager, said in the OEUK statement.
“As part of a year-long and phased approach, we are encouraging employers to participate in OEUK’s online Sustainable Weight Management Showcase on December 9, which brings together leading health and fitness providers to share practical solutions for healthier lifestyles,” he added.
“This is a great way to explore what support is available to their workforce, ensuring that everyone has access to resources that help them achieve compliance and lasting health improvements,” he continued.
Skinner noted in its statement that the event features a diverse range of programs, “from grassroots fitness initiatives like Fat Fives Football and MAN vs FAT, to clinical and medicated weight-loss strategies such as Bodyline Medical Weight Loss and TAC Healthcare’s multi-disciplinary approach”.
“We encourage participants to learn about innovative tools like Healthoutfit’s Fit2Fly precision 3D body scanning as well as finding out about non-judgmental support, which helps to empower both employers and workers to achieve sustainable results,” he said.
Georgina Howden, Wellness & Lifestyle Manager at Healthoutfit, an OEUK member company, said in the statement, “with 25 years of workplace wellness experience, we know sustainable change requires time, accurate measurement, and dignity”.
“Our six-week offshore pilot achieved outstanding results because participants felt supported, not judged. By integrating 3D body scanning technology into our Fit2Fly program, we track real body composition changes, not just scale weight,” Howden added.
Louise Martin, CEO & Founder, RigRun Ltd, another OEUK member company, said in the statement, “people working offshore already face unique pressures, including environments at remote locations where meals play a big part in maintaining morale”.
“Any approach to weight management needs to be positive and supportive, ensuring offshore workers don’t feel further restricted in their choices,” Martin added.
“RigRun focuses on creating engaged offshore communities where small wins are celebrated, confidence grows, and crews can enjoy adopting healthier lifestyles in a way that feels encouraging rather than limiting,” Martin continued.
In a statement posted on its website back in October, OEUK said the decision to implement a safe weight limit for offshore workers follows extensive review by industry experts over the past two and a half years, “during which all possible alternatives to a weight restriction were thoroughly investigated”.
“As no practical solutions were identified, the 124kg limit will be implemented from 1 November 2026,” OEUK added in that statement.
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