Up to 800 North Sea Workers Still Exceed the November Helicopter Weight Limit
The 124kg clothed limit derives from a 249kg maximum winch load shared with the rescue crew and stretcher
Hundreds of North Sea workers remain too heavy for offshore helicopter travel less than two months before new rules come into force.
From November, passengers travelling to and from offshore installations must weigh no more than 19 stone 7 pounds, or 124kg, in their clothing and footwear, so that they can be winched to safety in an emergency. When the plans were announced by the industry body Offshore Energies UK last year, more than 2,200 workers were above that limit. New figures suggest up to 800 still exceed it.
The number derives from rescue capability rather than from aircraft payload. The policy followed a warning from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency that rescue winches, which are critical during offshore emergencies, cannot safely lift heavier people. The maximum Coastguard rescue helicopter winch load of 39 stone, or 249kg, is made up of the maximum clothed passenger weight plus the average 14 stone weight of a rescue worker, a 4 stone 7 pound stretcher and 7 pounds of kit. Subtract the rescue side of that equation and 124kg is what remains.
Clothed weight is measured under the industry travel clothing policy for the relevant season, including shoes, which matters because North Sea survival suits and winter kit are heavy in their own right.
The trend within the workforce runs the other way. Offshore Energies UK said the average weight of offshore workers has risen by almost one stone seven pounds, around 10kg, since 2008. Updated figures show about 3.4% of offshore workers now weigh more than 124kg, down from an estimated 4.7% in 2022. The latest data is based on more than 35,000 offshore traveller records collected between April and August.
The consequences for individuals are real. Jobs could be lost as a result, and an occupational health expert said some workers had left the offshore industry rather than lose the weight. An employment law specialist said alternative onshore roles could also be explored by companies.
The decision followed a lengthy review by industry experts, and it is not the first dimension-based restriction applied to offshore helicopter travel. Rules about shoulder size were introduced earlier, under which passengers with a shoulder width of 22 inches or more were classed as extra broad and had to sit next to a similarly large helicopter window so they could escape it.
The wider point is one that runs through offshore and marine safety generally. Escape and rescue systems are designed around an assumed body size, and when the population drifts away from that assumption the equipment does not adjust, which leaves the operator choosing between rebuilding the rescue chain and restricting who may travel. A similar logic governs lifeboat capacity and evacuation planning under the SOLAS regime.
