Hundreds of workers in the North Sea are affected by new helicopter safety rules setting a maximum weight of 19.5 stone, or 124.7kg, when fully clothed.
The limit is intended to ensure that workers can be lifted from a helicopter during an emergency. Winching people to safety may be required if an aircraft cannot land or if passengers need to be evacuated in difficult conditions.
The rule applies to workers travelling to or from North Sea installations by helicopter. Those above the permitted weight are unable to meet the new requirement, leaving hundreds affected by the change.
The supplied information does not give details of how individual workers or employers will respond, or whether further arrangements will be introduced. The latest position is that the weight limit remains in place as a condition linked to emergency rescue procedures.
