Working in the offshore oil and gas industry
Health and safety is an important part of any industry, but particularly so in the offshore sector, which is classified as a major hazards industry. No other industry puts more effort into improving its health and safety performance. Obviously, working offshore is different from working in an office onshore. The long working day (12 hours), the harsh w
eather conditions, especially in the North Sea, the remoteness, and the reliance on helicopter travel are aspects of working offshore that are not suitable for everyone. Whether the offshore installation is a drilling rig, a production platform or a Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), they all differ. As a result, the conditions and the facilities they offer all vary. In general, on a North Sea production platform resides a crew of 50-100 workers. Offshore crew usually works for a period of two weeks before having a rest period onshore for two weeks (2 weeks on 2 weeks off). In drilling and exploration workers can stay longer offshore. Working offshore can be very exciting, but prolonged absence from home can also be a problem. A distorted work-life balance can significantly affect the mental health of the offshore workers! At MediWerk we have extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with all these issues and more. All these aspects are always taken into consideration by our occupational health physicians. Before being allowed to go offshore, even if only for a day's survey, all employees must complete an offshore survival course and undergo a medical examination. Just about every operator worldwide insists that everyone travelling to one of their offshore installations must complete an offshore survival course before being allowed to travel. Consequently, every offshore worker must undergo and pass an offshore medical examination which classifies them as medically fit to work in the offshore environment. Offshore Medicals
In order to be certified to conduct offshore medical examinations, doctors need to be recognized by NOGEPA. Our occupational health physicians are registered with NOGEPA and can therefor demonstrate that they possess the necessary knowledge of the offshore oil and gas industry and we have proper facilities to perform medical check-ups. NOGEPA stands for the Netherlands Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Association. It represents the interests of members, associates and society in general. It represents companies possessing permits to drill for and produce oil and gas both on land and on the Dutch continental shelf in the North Sea. NOGEPA strives for optimal medical conditions for all those working on offshore installations. Weather, time of day, and distance between offshore installation and a hospital onshore all affect the time required to evacuate someone to a hospital. A valid medical certification for working offshore is there for essential. This medical check-up is valid for a period of up to two years and must be undertaken by a certified doctor approved by NOGEPA and according to standards applicable to working offshore. Offshore medicals are carried out to ensure an individual is fit to work in an offshore oil and gas exploration and production environment, to travel to a specific country and to promote good health in general. Frequency
The offshore medical certificate, as it is commonly known, is only valid for a limited time and needs to be renewed periodically in order to continue working offshore. The standard frequency for renewal of the NOGEPA Offshore Medical Certificate is two years and allows an employee to work offshore in the North Sea. In some cases the occupational health physician may decide that the offshore worker is medically fit for employment for a shorter period of time. Individual operators retain the right to request medical assessments more frequently. The offshore medical examination will begin with filling out a questionnaire, followed by a physical examination and a consultation the doctor. Following NOGEPA industry guidelines, our offshore medical examination at MediWerk consists of:
- Completion of Patient Health History Questionnaire - on medical history, lifestyle e.g. smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise etc.
- Urinalysis - routine urine test with immediate results for blood, protein and sugar
- BMI - measurement of height, weight and calculation of Body Mass Index
- Basic eye sight test - including near (40cm), distance (5m) and color vision (Ishihara test)
- Pulse and Blood Pressure Measurement
- Lung Function Test (peak flow)
- Audiogram (hearing test)
- A physical examination by a certified offshore doctor - check stature, listen to breathing, reflexes etc.
- Consultation with the doctor - the doctor will discuss the results of the physical examination together with the questionnaire and may carry out any additional checks if necessary. Compressed Air Medicals
For example members of Emergency Response Teams (ERT), but also workers who need to be able to work with compressed air, require a certain level of fitness which is assessed by a specific medical examination. This medical is similar to the Offshore Medical with the addition of a fitness test (ECG stress test / bicycle ergometer). Seafarer Medicals
Seafarer medicals are the main medical certification for those who work at sea. A marine and coastguard agency approved doctor is required to issue the certificate after a full medical has taken place. At MediWerk we offer this medical certificate free of charge when combined with the Offshore Medical. Certain operators may ask for additional checks to be carried out, like a drug test. In these cases we strictly follow the privacy law on these matters and will only communicate the results of the drug test to the employer with a signed informed consent of the offshore worker. Hardanger agreement
Different countries have different requirements, some stricter than and others less so. Be aware that a NOGEPA medical certificate may not be sufficient to work offshore anywhere. The offshore operators associations from the three countries involved in the North Sea: The Netherlands (NOGEPA), the UK (OGUK) and Norway (OLF) have signed a reciprocal agreement known as the Hardanger Agreement. This states that a valid medical certificate in one country will be valid in the two other countries within the agreement. Although this agreement is in place, there are reports that a NOGEPA medical certificate for instance is not always being accepted at Norwegian heliport check-ins. Therefore, we offer the service of providing you with an OLF certificate (Helseerklaring) issued by our chief offshore physician together with the NOGEPA certificate. Not all NOGEPA doctors are recognized by OLF to issue this medical certificate. In case you need this certificate, please inform us when booking your appointment. Our chief offshore physician Maarten van Duijn has an outstanding track record and is well known and recognized within the offshore industry for his extensive knowledge and expertise. He is a recognized doctor with an advisory role to the NOGEPA health committee and can issue Seafarer’s medical certificates and offshore medical certificates for the North Sea including Norway (Helseerklaring) and also Germany. Service
MediWerk offers extensive knowledge and expertise and has the capacity to carry out large numbers of medical examinations with easy availability (7 days a week and also beyond regular office hours) and soon including online booking. The medical assessments can be carried out at our strategically located medical centers or in bulk onsite at your own designated facility. Communicating results quickly and accurately is a key part of our service and we pro-actively respond to this matter by providing you with the possibility to receive the offshore medical certificate by email or fax and if necessary in case of failed medicals for example we can confirm this at first by telephone. Besides the offshore medical examinations, MediWerk provides a wide range of other medical assessments. If the medical assessment you are looking for is not included in the list on our website, please contact us to confirm that the medical assessment you require is available. Occupational Health Services
MediWerk provides comprehensive occupational health services that cover the complete spectrum of work‐related health and safety issues, from prevention and control measures, to recommendations on treatment and legal and environment issues. Our wide range of professionals includes occupational health physicians, occupational hygienists, occupational health nurses, counselors, dieticians and physiotherapists, who can help you with:
- Carrying out medicals to make sure employees are fit for the work they are undertaking
- Advising companies on Health and Safety policy
- Health promotion
- Substance abuse programs
- Alleviation and management of stress
- Overseas travel
- Sickness absence management
We are here to partner your organization and make sure you have a healthy and productive workforce. Fit for the job, fit for the future, fit for life! Booking an offshore medical
In case you would like more information on the Offshore Medical Examination or you would like to book a medical immediately, please contact us at +31 88 011 75 00 or send us an email to info@mediwerk.com. You may also fill out our contact form on the website.
