SAFE WEIGHT LIMITS

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular NP/194/25

6^th November 2025

 

To: ALL MARITIME MEMBERS

 

 

Dear Colleague

 

SAFE WEIGHT LIMITS  

 

I received a report from your lead officer outlining current proposed change pertains to rescue helicopters and not the day-to-day transportation of our members to and from installations.  The change is driven by HM Coastguard and rescue helicopters with the weight limit of (clothed) 124kg, this limit includes a safety margin of 0.7Kg for winching.

 

Main areas of concern for our members will be:

 

Weight	Outcome at 2 yearly OEUK Medical
Exceeds 124kg	A fit to work certificate will not be issued
120 – 124 kg	A reduced juration certificate valid for up to 3 months will be issued to encourage weight loss.
115kg – 119kg	A reduced juration certificate valid for up to 6 months will be issued to encourage weight loss.
110kg +	The workers will be reminded of the 124Kg limit.

 

Workers will continue to be weighed as part of the standard flight check-in arrangements and those over 124Kg will not be permitted to fly.  Those flying back from an installation will not be affected as this is only applicable to those on an installation who may need to be evacuated by winch in the event of an emergency.

 

Timescales are as follows:

 

• Proposed introductory date of 01 October 2025 
• Conditional compliance 31 March 2026
• Mandator6y compliance 01 October 2026

You lead officer has asked if there were any statistics around how many people were affected and the response given was to provide the union with 2022 figures, whereby 5% were identified as being over 125kg on Vantage and less than 400 were recorded as being above 150kg again on Vantage.  An updated report from 2024 suggests that the average weight of offshore personnel is 96.56kg which is an increase of 10kg since 2008.

 

At its meeting on 4^th November 2025, your National Executive Committee noted and adopted the following report from its health and safety subcommittee:

 

We note the report on file from our lead officer.

 

The General Secretary is instructed to:

 

•    Write to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, confirming whether this is a legislative change and, if so, what it is based on

•    Seek a further report from the lead officer 

•    Contact, with a view to liaising with, other offshore unions through the ITF and IndustriALL

•    Notify Maritime branches that this concerning matter has been brought to the union’s attention and that we are seeking discussions with relevant parties.

 

I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Eddie Dempsey

General Secretary