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Applying to work off shore with type 1

G

Gbudge

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3
Hi guys and girls

Looking for a little help. I am looking o get into the oil and gas industry. I am about to finish the basic courses required to go off shore and the next one will be a job specific course. The problem is I don't know which one to go for. When I had my medical I had to send stuff to the hospital etc so that's not completed yet but the doctor basically said to me I have no chance doing a labour intensive job like a roustabout or a high risk job like painter and blaster. Do you have type 1 or know anyone with type 1 who works off shore. If so can you advise me on my next steps . I am hoping i havent wasted a lot of money on this training.

Thanks in advance
 
Woohoo that's me!

So basically your medical requires you to have 3 months of "good control", as approved by your consultant. That is as far as the hospital goes with regard to controlling your job.

As far as offshore restrictions, the OIM and the medic have to agree to have you on the asset. Highly doubt they would say no tbh. You cannot be an OIM. Ever. This made me very grumpy! I don't want to be one, but I dislike being told no anyway!

We have many labourers who are T1. Took me a while to find them, but there are a fair few.

Where are you thinking of working? It would definitely be easier if it was a rotational job where you're assigned to 1 asset rather than adhoc, but I appreciate that's not always easy to find!


Blogging at drivendiabetic.wordpress.com
 
Thanks Hale ! Superstar
 
I was told by the nurse who took my medical that I can only get a medical certificate for 1 instulation at a time. I am at early stages as I am going to start applying when I return home from Aberdeen. I will complete my BOSIET and MIST training tomorrow but was going to look into a job specific training course. Do you have any recommendations. Do you work on an insutation? ydo you find there are any barriers to controlling your diabetes if you do.

Thanks

Graham
 

I was diagnosed 3 weeks before my first offshore trip unfortunately, so I've not been I'm office based until September, although officially I'm medically cleared to go offshore now.

I'm an engineer and so haven't required job specific training.

I'd advise looking at Amec or Wood Group PSN for work. In 99% of cases you need nothing other than MIST and bosiet, they'll pay to send you on anything else they need you to do.

She is wrong about the medical certificate. If you pass your medical you pass for all assets in the North Sea. It's just easier for everyone if you're based on one! But as a new start it's pretty unlikely to get that (it's fairly sought after) so you're best to take what you angry and work your way up


Blogging at drivendiabetic.wordpress.com
 
Hi, I work offshore in the North sea and take insulin,

The uk oil and gas guidelines state that you must show good for a minimum of 6 months, no complications and you must have good awareness of hypos

your company med advisor must be informed so that the rig medic is aware of you and can be supplied with IV glycogen.

If everyone agrees (issuing doctor, company med advisor, oim and rig medic) then you will be issued a restricted certificate.
My certificate is for a named installation, I think though that if I was to change rigs within the company then it would just be a paperwork exercise to change the installation name on my med certificate.....I think

The doctors like to write to your GP or specialist but I try to take all reports and results with me to save a bit of time.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 

A note for you, in case you ever consider the pump.

I start on mine a week today and from that day i am no longer allowed on site. Either on shore or offshore.

The battery is the issue. I don't understand why, as you can carry a camera with a gas tester and a permit. But seems it's a general "no go" with a pump.

Something to bear in mind


Blogging at drivendiabetic.wordpress.com
 
So what are your plans Hale? I'm currently deployed in the Middle East and had to go back to my pen as it's to hot outside to wear my pump I'm not in the oil and gas business YET as back when I Considered it I believed that us T1's could not apply
 

As others have said, it's 6 months.

I'm about to renew my medical in a couple of weeks. Although the OGUK conditions are for the North Sea, acceptance is per installation.

The issue for me though as a consultant is the "specified installation" bit, as I work with 50% of North Sea operators and more overseas. The way I've approached this is to talk to the Abermed doctors and I will give them a list of all the installations I may visit, and hopefully get them specified - I'm told this is possible given all the agreements etc.

As for the pump, that varies with operators, I've spoken to at least one that does not see it as a problem from a medical perspective, and as you point out, being IPX8 rated, that really makes them suitable for Zone 2 use due to the sealing and reduced gas ingress potential. I'm talking with one onshore plant at the moment, but have not tried yet with your mob.

My self-imposed restrictions (assuming I can get agreement at all) will be no NUIs and no FPSOs, too likely to get stuck due to weather and no facilities if anything goes wrong
 
Just speaking to one of my clients about this today. By the time I visit them in November I should be on a pump so I asked him to talk to his technical folks about it and they came to the same conclusion.

Ok for zone 2 areas and carry a gas detector.
 
Just been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and was pretty worried about where it would leave me with my job offshore. So glad I came across this forum. Thanks for posting this info it has really helped me understand what to expect now.
 
An update for me,

I've passed my offshore medical, which si now a 1 year rather than 2-year certificate.

Abermed had to contacet the company doctors for every installation I may possibly work on (hard work for them) so I now have multiple certificates with named installations on them, some were OK, others more difficult. BP have excluded their FPSOs for example, Talisman have given blanket acceptance, Total have said that I must carry additional supplies and be >5.0 wehen working outside the accomodation. None of those being particularly unreasonable.

As for the pump, I was onshore last week on an LNG plant, and wil be going to Tunisia in two weeks to an onshore gas plant, both have said OK there.

I've not tried to get offshore yet, but I have a need to do so in January.
 
Hi all ,

Very glad I've came across this forum as I'm about to start my GWO training for offshore turbines- was very worried about medical due to hearing various stories but this has settled my nerves. Will keep yous updated along the process so hopefully can help others in future.

Pete
 
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