An estimated 241-300 offshore workers are projected to still be above a new 124kg (19.5st) weight limit when it comes into effect next month, potentially putting their jobs at risk, according to industry body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK).
The trade body is introducing the guidelines from November, requiring all those working offshore to weigh less than 124kg. OEUK said this is necessary on safety grounds, as it is the maximum weight a person can be when winched from a platform into a helicopter during an emergency evacuation.
Policy Progress
Since announcing the policy in 2025, OEUK said it has helped operators identify and implement measures to slim down their offshore workforces. The number of workers over the limit has fallen from about 2,200 in early 2025 to 840 earlier this year, with OEUK saying it is "delighted" so many have achieved it.
However, an estimated 241-300 workers are still projected to be above the limit when the policy takes effect, meaning they could face losing their jobs. OEUK health and safety leader Graham Skinner said it is possible some of these people no longer work offshore in the UK, or that they will be moved to onshore roles by their employers.
Safety Rationale
Skinner said the policy is ultimately about safety and capability. "If somebody cannot mobilise for their work because they're over the weight limit, then they will not be able to work," he said. "In the worst cases, that would mean somebody will lose their job."
In the past, the industry made changes to safety equipment to compensate for the growing waistlines of offshore workers, including making lifeboats larger and more robust, and ensuring larger workers were seated next to the largest windows when travelling on helicopters. However, Skinner said this was only "addressing certain symptoms" of the problem, and the industry needed to find a solution.
The 124kg limit is based on helicopter winches, but capping worker weight will benefit "all aspects" of life-saving equipment on offshore platforms. It could also reduce the risk of medical evacuations for health-related reasons, including heart attacks and strokes, which in 2025 accounted for 78% of all medivacs.
Concerns and Pushback
Skinner said those with the most weight to lose have had the "greatest concerns" about the policy since its announcement last year. "It's fair to say that everyone's gone through that psychological process, that change curve of feeling that initial disbelief, anger, and all those emotions that go on when you're faced with change," he said. "Those that have had to face a challenge of losing a significant amount of weight have obviously had the greatest concerns."
The policy has met with some pushback, with the RMT union saying it is concerned it could provide employers with a "convenient mechanism" to sack workers without proper redundancy procedures or financial compensation. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: "Nobody disputes that safety must be the overriding priority when working offshore. However, safety policies must be proportionate, evidence-based and developed through meaningful consultation with the workers they affect. RMT is calling on OEUK to withdraw the policy and engage in meaningful consultation with trade unions to establish a fair, proportionate and evidence-based approach to offshore safety."
