Health and Safety Report 2019

HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT 2019

Medical Evacuations As a remote and potentially hazardous workplace where support from the usual emergency services is not available, offshore installations are required to have medical facilities onboard to allow the medic, supported by a topsides doctor, to provide appropriate medical treatment and care to injured or ill personnel until they can be returned to shore. For less acute conditions or minor injuries, this may mean the person is simply treated onboard and continues to work the rest of their rota on normal or restricted duties. For some personnel, the appropriate route may be to wait until the next scheduled flight, but for the most serious conditions, which require onshore treatment as a matter of urgency, the industry and coastguard search and rescue (SAR) helicopters are used. In 2018, emergency medevacs were requested a total of 241 times, with peak demand during the months of October and April (32 and 29, respectively). These medevacs were completed using coastguard SAR helicopters. Themost common reason for a call out remains suspected cardiac incident, followed by injury and acute abdominal issues, in line with the previous year’s data.

Figure 24: Reasons for Emergency Medical Evacuations, 2018

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8

9

52

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10

Cardiac Injury Other Acute Abdomen CVA GI Collapse Renal Respiratory Mental Health Infectious Disease

13

15

43

22

53

Source: OGUK

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