Offshore Industry Sets 124kg Weight Cap for North Sea Workers

The offshore industry will introduce a maximum clothed weight limit of 124.7kg for personnel travelling to UK North Sea installations, citing helicopter winch capacity and evacuation safety as the rationale.

Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) has published a new industry policy establishing a safe‑weight limit for workers on offshore installations. Coming after extensive talks with HM Coastguard, aircraft operators and energy companies, OEUK says the rule is necessary to ensure every person aboard can be safely winched or evacuated in an emergency.

OEUK’s guidance sets the cap at 124.7kg (approximately 19.6 stone) clothed, reflecting the operational limits of standard search‑and‑rescue helicopter human external cargo (HEC) systems once the combined weight of a rescuer, stretcher, and kit is taken into account. 

The trade body and industry partners concluded that existing equipment leaves only around 124.7kg available for a single survivor during a hoist, and that continuing to allow higher weights would create unacceptable rescue risk in open‑sea scenarios.

The policy affects a significant minority of the offshore workforce. Industry reporting suggests roughly 5% of personnel currently exceed the threshold, meaning an estimated 2,500 workers will need to reduce weight to meet the requirement. 

OEUK says employers will be supported to implement the changes and that affected staff will be offered assistance, medical support, and a clear transition timeline.

Implementation will be phased. An awareness campaign begins immediately, followed by a transition period from 1st February 2026 during which OEUK‑recognised medical examiners may issue limited‑duration certifications for those near the limit. 

From 1st November 2026, the rule becomes mandatory, and no further exemptions will be granted for workers exceeding the clothed weight cap, the guidance states.

Unions and workers have raised concerns that the policy could unfairly penalise naturally larger‑framed or highly muscled individuals who are otherwise fit for offshore duties. 

Unite and other representatives have urged employers and OEUK to ensure weight‑management programmes are non‑discriminatory, medically supported and focused on safe outcomes rather than job loss. 

OEUK has stressed it will provide support packages and behavioural‑health resources to help workers meet the standard within the transition period.

OEUK and HM Coastguard say alternative technical solutions were explored during the two‑and‑a‑half‑year review, including changes to stretcher design, lifeboat procedures and helicopter equipment. 

However, they concluded a universally enforceable weight limit was the only practicable mitigation that guaranteed every worker could be recovered using existing rescue assets across the UK, Dutch and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea.

The policy is likely to prompt debate across industry, labour, and health communities about occupational fitness standards, reasonable adjustments and the balance between safety and workforce inclusivity. 

Employers will need to plan recruitment, rostering, and health support accordingly to avoid staffing shortfalls as the deadline approaches.

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