Posted on 09/03/2026 7:27:34 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Hundreds of North Sea workers are still too heavy for offshore helicopter travel less than two months before new rules come into force, BBC Scotland has learned.
From November they should weigh no more than 19st 7Ib (124.7kg) in their clothing and footwear, so they can be winched to safety in an emergency.
When the plans were announced by industry body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) last year, they said more than 2,200 workers were above that limit. New figures suggest up to 800 still exceed it.
Jobs could be lost as a result, and an occupational health expert said some had left the offshore industry rather than lose the weight.
However an employment law specialist said alternative onshore roles could also be explored by companies.
The new safe weight limit policy came after the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) warned that rescue winches - which are critical during offshore emergencies - cannot safely lift heavier people.
The 39st (249kg) maximum Coastguard rescue helicopter winch load is made up of the maximum clothed weight plus the average 14st (90.3kg) weight of a rescue worker, a 4st 7Ib (29kg) stretcher, and the 7Ib (5kg) kit.
OEUK said the average weight of offshore workers had risen by almost 1st 7Ib (10kg) since 2008.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
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Just replace them with women. I mean all the movies show 5 foot 2, women who weigh a buck and 10 pounds can do anything, right?
Truth is the food at sea often is very good. It is one of the few ways to keep moral up, plus such work takes a lot of calories, you aren’t doing that with soymilk LMAO.
Must be NFL players.
And shorter, lighter, cheap labor men from the third world.
As I said, in my other reply, it's not you that concerns me, it's the physical limits of those who would try to save you in a dangerous situation put at risk because of your size. It's not about the fitness of the individual; it is about the safety of the team.
It may be normal, but it’s likely not healthy.
And you don’t platform workers who aren’t.
Why?
Pick better friends or least find some manly ones.
Fit does not mean body builders, in fact real working men don’t look anything like the movie version of fit but they will work you into the ground with ease.
FIT people over 275? Doubt it
You do realize you’re posting that actually shows that there are indeed fit men and a significant number who are heavier. Unless you want to plead a special case argument that that only happens in the NFL, or maybe the NBA, or heavyweight boxing, or weightlifters... etc. Guess it can’t be true for anyone not in those categories?
So what were you trying to mock again?
The regulation is 275 including clothes, I spoke generically, a bit exaggerated given it does read naked 275 as implied in my first post.
Does not change the fact a working man can get over 275 with little difficulty given the conditions the OP of the thread laid out, nor the fact I know quite a few guys who push 250 and above who are fit.
Well that settles it then. No oil drilling.
That’s 275lbs fully clothed. Them some big ol’ boys!
That’s 275lbs fully clothed. Them some big ol’ boys!
Rationalizations from fatguys incoming…
Some of them don't make the weight limit, either.
(To the tune of “Short People”)
Don’t want no fat people, don’t want no fat people,
don’t want no fat people ‘round here!
Not if he's an offensive line coach on a power four football team.
A lot of weight gets on the cable, the rescuer’s average weight is about 199 pounds.
“The 39st (249kg) maximum Coastguard rescue helicopter winch load is made up of the maximum clothed weight plus the average 14st (90.3kg) weight of a rescue worker, a 4st 7Ib (29kg) stretcher, and the 7Ib (5kg) kit.
OEUK said the average weight of offshore workers had risen by almost 1st 7Ib (10kg) since 2008.”
That’s the deal, you don’t attempt to go up by helicopter. There are these football shaped (look like lemons) emergency boats you go down to and get picked up by boat.
This is really a non issue. In a true emergency, helicopters are an hour away, at best. You can scramble down to the evac boats and launch in 3 minutes.
Buy decent helicopters.
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