Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his department was informed that employers in the offshore oil and gas industry were seeking to introduce a safe weight limit on offshore oil and gas workers.

Offshore Energies United Kingdom (OEUK) is a trade association that represents the United Kingdom’s (UK) offshore energy industry. OEUK introduced an industry-led Safe Weight Limit Policy (SWLP) for offshore workers on oil and gas installations in order to manage the risk associated with exceeding specified weight limits and maximum lifting capacities on the UK’s search and rescue helicopters. The risks around safe weight limits were raised by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

In 2025, OEUK held a workshop with member companies, subject matter experts across aviation, marine and emergency response disciplines, trade unions, trade associations, HM Coastguard and helicopter operators, to discuss and identify the hazards and risks presented by a heavier workforce. OEUK provided HSE with a copy of the final draft of its guidance on its Safe Weight Limit Policy once its members had agreed to implement it.

HSE was first made aware that industry were looking to introduce a safe weight limit in June 2025. HSE provided comment to OEUK on technical aspects of the guidance relating to occupational health legislation and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) standards. HSE, along with other industry stakeholders, was kept informed of the intention to implement an industry policy on safe weight limit, through regular attendance at a number of industry forums. HSE was not a consultee on the decision to implement the safe weight limit and was not involved in the development of the policy.