Offshore employers are being urged to identify and support workers who could be affected by new industry weight restrictions impacting the UK offshore industry, with a mandatory 124kg clothed weight limit due to come into force on 1 November

From that date, anyone exceeding the limit will not be issued a standard medical certificate and will not be permitted to travel offshore, potentially affecting their ability to work.

This industry-wide Safe Weight Limit Policy has been developed following extensive engagement between OEUK, HM Coastguard, helicopter operators, and member companies and is in place to ensure the safety of all personnel working offshore. It addresses increasing worker weights and the associated challenges for evacuation, rescue, and medical response offshore, as search and rescue helicopter winches have a limited capacity for a single patient. The combined load of the winchman, stretcher and equipment leaves a maximum capacity of 124.7 kg for a patient. Anyone above this weight cannot be guaranteed rescue by search and rescue (SAR) helicopter. The new policy ensures every person can be safely evacuated or rescued, particularly by SAR helicopter winch. The policy applies to all offshore installations operating under accepted Safety Cases as defined in the Offshore Installations (Offshore Safety Directive) (Safety Case etc.) Regulations 2015. It does not apply to marine vessels, which are governed by different regulations.

Employers are encouraged to provide access to weight-management and wellbeing programmes, and pointers to support and advice are given on the OEUK website. Workers affected are advised to take healthy steps to lose weight, such as changing diet, exercising more, and seeking medical advice where required to ensure they can lose weight in a healthy, safe and sustainable manner.

Aberdeen occupational health specialist International Medical Management (IMM) is encouraging companies to act now rather than wait until an employee’s next medical or mobilisation.

Dr Louise Slaney, medical director at IMM, said, “Although November may still seem some way off, employers now have only a relatively short window in which to identify potentially affected workers and put appropriate support in place.

“Waiting until October, an employee’s next offshore medical or the point of mobilisation could leave too little time for weight reduction to be achieved safely and sustainably.

“From November 1, someone arriving at the heliport weighing more than 124kg fully clothed will not be able to travel offshore. For the individual, that could mean being unable to go to work; for the employer, it could create an unexpected gap in the crew at the point of mobilisation.”

Workers and members of the public in the UAE have access to Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) channels to report 11 categories of labour violations, ranging from forced labour and human trafficking to sexual harassment, unpaid end-of-service benefits and excessive working hours.

MOHRE said that disputes involving employers and domestic workers can be formally escalated when efforts to reach an amicable resolution fail. In such cases, a labour complaint can be filed through the ministry’s designated channels, allowing the matter to proceed through the formal review process.

The ministry has outlined 11 types of violations that can be reported. These include fake Emiratisation, forced labour and human trafficking, non-compliance with Emiratisation requirements, sexual harassment, failure to provide end-of-service benefits and requiring employees to work more than two additional hours.

The list also covers violations related to heat-stress protection measures, labour accommodation standards, the employment of workers in breach of regulations, occupational health and safety requirements, and annual leave entitlements, including failure to provide payment in lieu or allow unused leave to be carried forward.

MOHRE said its community reporting service enables members of the public to report unlawful practices at establishments. The initiative is intended to strengthen monitoring and improve compliance across the UAE labour market.

Workers and members of the public can submit reports through the MOHRE UAE app, the ministry’s website or the Labour Claims and Advisory Centre by calling 80084.

At the Big Sky Labor and Employment Conference in Montana, which brings influential employee, employer, and neutral leaders together to discuss important labour and employment issues, OSHA Assistant Secretary David Keeling highlighted the agency’s commitment to working more closely with employers, listening to stakeholders, and raising awareness of the importance of prevention to businesses

Keeling outlined how OSHA plans to advance that vision:

• Provide small businesses with tailored guidance and practical support.
• Understand stakeholders' needs and how OSHA can be most effective for them.
• Build stronger partnerships across industries, associations, and alliances to share what works and amplify safety successes.
• Make resources easier to access by promoting onsite consultation, expanding training tools and enhancing digital resources so employers understand requirements before an incident happens.

Keeling also highlighted new initiatives designed to enhance workplace safety and health, including:

• The OSHA CARES Initiative, a customer service effort designed to help businesses meet federal requirements as well as building more effective safety and health programmes that benefit both employers and workers. It is aimed at supporting small and medium sized business in particular, strengthening collaboration between businesses and OSHA by increasing access to OSHA experts and compliance assistance specialists, improving access to educational and training materials, and offering consistent workplace assistance during enforcement visits and meetings.
• The Safety Champions Program, a new cooperative initiative designed to help employers develop and implement effective safety and health programmes. With a focus on proactive prevention and continuous improvement to prevent workplace injuries, illness and fatalities, it emphasises seven key elements: management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification, prevention and control, education and training, programme evaluation, and communication. By incorporating these elements, employers can create safety and health programs that not only meet regulations but also enhance workplace safety and health.

Along with the focus on assistance and partnership comes a strong enforcement role. Keeling emphasised OSHA priorities that include hiring compliance officers, focusing enforcement efforts on repeat violators and other bad actors, and modernising outdated rules by prioritising clarity and efficiency to meet the needs of today's workforce.

The mission of OSHA, part of the US Department of Labor, is to ensure America's workers have safe and healthy working conditions free from unlawful retaliation. It does this by setting and enforcing standards; enforcing anti-retaliation provisions of the OSH Act and other federal whistleblower laws; providing and supporting training, outreach, education, and assistance; and working collaboratively with state OSHA programmes, furthering a national system of worker safety and health protections.