Just about every operator world wide insists that everyone travelling to one of their offshore assets (production platform, drill rig, FPSO etc) must complete an offshore survival course before being allowed to travel. This applies to employees and visitors alike, independent of the length of the visit, whether it be for a 2 week rotation or an afternoon's survey.

BOSIET
For UK waters this survival course is officially known as a BOSIET (Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training) course, though it is often referred to as an RGIT course in deference to the one time market leader in providing such courses. The BOSIET includes Safety, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting, First Aid and Hypothermia, Helicopter Safety and Escape, and Survival at Sea.

BOSIET courses vary in length between providers - usually 2 to 3 days, and with the advent of e-learning some providers allow the theory parts to be completed via the internet. The cost of a basic course is between £450 and £550, plus any accommodation costs. Courses are very popular and there can be long waiting lists - though gone are the days of a single provider for the UK. The "Offshore Survival Certificate" as the BOSIET is also commonly known, is only valid for 4 years, and a refresher (usually lasting a day) must be done before your old certificate expires otherwise the whole course must be repeated.

There are "extras" that you can request, and pay for, when doing your survival, e.g. re-breather training is becoming an increasing popular requirement amongst operators. This can be tagged on to the end of the wet part of your course.

Offshore Abroad
Different countries across the world have differing requirements, some more stringent than the UK requirements described above. For example a BOSIET course is not sufficient for working in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The Norwegian Oil Industry Association (OLF) course, is a 5 day affair and a lot more demanding than that required in the UK. Most offshore training companies in the UK run courses allowing you to work in other sectors. These are often run as additions to the BOSIET course.

Many companies put employees through courses after they start work, but some people take a course before looking for work in the industry - hoping this will give them an advantage when looking for work. Having a valid "Offshore Survival Certificate" could mean the difference between getting a job and not - however it is worth remembering that doing this course does not guarantee a job offshore. Also, since different countries have different requirements think carefully about where you want to work before financing your own course.

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