Diabetic and working offshore

Hi, I've been Diabetic for nearly three years (type 1, insulin twice a day) and have as near perfect health as can be expected (but always room for improvement), never had a Hypoglycemia episode (come close, aware of symptoms and followed my diabetic nurses advice on taking 4.5 jelly babies) and my HbA1c was 5.9 (room to improve) during my last medical.
My main question is am I allowed to work offshore due to my condition? I will be contacting Abermed and Survivex (BOSIET trainer) to find a definitive answer u but in the mean time can anyone cast some light on this subject?

Hi, well the news is not so good. There is no NO or YES answer but in short if you are type 1 diabetic your chances of getting to work offshore are slim to no chance (if you are a specialist in your field, the only person available and the rig owners, the rig manager & medic all agree to allow you on their installation then you might get a job!!!).
Type 2 is not such an issue, but if type 1 your regarded as too much of a risk, which to some degree I understand but not happy about!!
Many type 1 diabetics have demanding careers and suffer no medical issues, we have healthy life styles and follow our doctors/nurses advice, make the sacrifices required so as not to be a burden on families, society or employers. However, as I was informed by my doctor, a doctor at Abermed and training instructor at Survivex, the profile of type 1 diabetics does not aid the case for those that look after ourselves (I have never drank alcohol, never been over-weight, played rugby and been active my whole life, ate healthily, never smoked and no family history of diabetes... my doctor at the time said "well you've been carrying the gene and its decided to switch on").
In short; you need to be physically fitter than superman and a history to back this claim, if you know the installation owner personally, know the rig IOM personally, know the medic personally and are the only person that can do the job required (i.e. there isn't a non-diabetic who can do your job), then as a type 1 diabetic you may get the opportunity to work offshore, but only on day shifts!!!

didie said:

If you don't declare your diabetes when applying to work offshore, you may find yourself in all kinds of trouble, especially if you did get the job and had a diabetic-related incident whilst offshore.

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Being open and honest is always the best policy, you can not be accused or pin pointed as untrustworthy or a lier.