Personnel intending to work in the Oil& Gas industry discover that in addition to their professional qualifications they must complete a series of Offshore Survival Trainings which are developed to fortify participants against industry specific hazards. OPITO (Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization), which is an industry-owned international body, accredits training providers to ensure high quality of courses all over the world.

The first one in the range of survival trainings is Basic Offshore Safety Induction & Emergency Training (BOSIET). In 3 days students are inducted about safety procedures on offshore installations. Helicopter safety is described along with practical escape and usage of compressed air breathing system (CA-EBS); then main sea survival techniques are learned together with first aid. Finally, fire fighting practice is done with the premium on hand held extinguishers and operation of fixed hose reels.

To upgrade their safety knowledge offshore personnel are required to take up Further Offshore Emergency Training (FOET). This is a practical course with an accent on emergency helicopter ditching, rescue from a confided space in an obscured visibility, fire fighting techniques and a first aid.

Staff and crew transfers are often conducted by a helicopter, that’s why Helicopter Underwater Emergency Training (HUET) is present in the training matrixes of so many companies. The course focuses on safety during all stages of the transfer and includes practical training of emergency escape and ditching as well as using Emergency Breathing System and sea survival techniques.

All three courses have tropical counterparts (T-BOSIET, etc.); they equip trainees with skills and knowledge to operate safely in tropical environment. In addition, Offshore Survival Training category contains a wide variety of trainings such as Offshore Survival Craft Coxswain, International Minimum Industry Safety Training (IMIST), Escape Chute Training, Travel Safely by Boat and various combinations and refresher versions which all prove to be a valuable asset as they allow to gain experience impossible to receive during normal safety drills, but which might appear to be lifesaving one day.