Offshore OEUK Medicals: Bristol & South Wales

OEUK-compliant examinations for offshore workers in the UK, Norwegian and Dutch sectors

OEUK, Fit to Train / EBS, Emergency and Response Team medicals

Fit to return offshore medicals

Online booking, next-day appointments, same-day certificates

OGUK medical: £200, Fit to train +£80, ERT +£200

Optionally (add on the next screen): Fit to train (£80), ERT (£200)

OEUK (formerly OGUK) medicals are mandatory safety-critical health checks for offshore workers. The medical examination, undertaken by an OEUK accredited doctor, confirms workers are physically and mentally fit to:

• Travel offshore
• Work in the demanding offshore environment
• Do not have a condition that may suddenly deteriorate and
• Can self-evacuate in case of an emergency.

The OEUK Certificate of Fitness to Work Offshore is valid for up to two years and is accepted in the UK, Norwegian, and Dutch offshore sectors.

Additional services

Fit to Train Medicals

Required before in-water training using EBS. Includes a detailed respiratory questionnaire and lung function test if required. There is no formal expiry date, but operators often require a recent certificate.

ERT medicals

For offshore emergency teams (e.g., firefighters or rescuers) to ensure capacity to handle extra physical and psychological demands. There are two parts: an ERT medical exam (valid for up to 2 years) and an ERT Chester Step Test or Physical Capability Assessment (valid for up to 1 year).

Fit to Return Offshore Medicals

Assessment of fitness to return to offshore work after a significant illness, injury, or medical evacuation. Contact us to see if we can offer a remote assessment.

Before your OEUK / OGUK offshore medical in Bristol or Chepstow

✔ Before the appointment, complete the confidential online Offshore Questionnaire (sent after booking). See Contact Page for details of our Bristol and Chepstow occ health clinics.

✔ Bring a valid photo ID, any current prescriptions and glasses or contact lenses with your optician’s prescription if you use them. 

Reschedule if you have a new cough, runny nose, sore throat, or fever.

Medical help may be hard to get offshore. An emergency evacuation time may be at least 2-3 hours in good weather and increase to several days in adverse weather conditions. Depending on the findings, the examining doctor may issue:

✔ An unrestricted OGUK (OEUK) Certificate: valid for 2 years. This is the most common certificate issued to healthy offshore workers.

✔ A time-limited certificate valid for less than 2 years to ensure monitoring (e.g., in offshore workers with obesity, high blood pressure, or well-controlled non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes.

✔ Restricted OEUK certificate valid only for a specific operator or installation (for offshore workers who take certain medication or have some medical conditions, e.g., blood clots, insulin-dependent diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney stones, severe asthma or allergy). The examining doctor will request a specialist report and, in certain cases, seek authorisation from the installation Medical Adviser.

✔ Deferred certificate if more information is required (e.g., in case of an infection, high blood pressure, or significant dental problems). A certificate may be issued once the condition is resolved. Restricted or deferred certificates incur additional costs.

– Certificate of Unfitness. Issued to workers with conditions that are incompatible with the offshore environment, e.g., significant psychiatric disorders, symptomatic neurological problems, severe chronic heart, lung or abdominal problems. If a worker is deemed unfit, they have the right to appeal the decision through OEUK.

10+ years of experience in OGUK and OEUK medical examinations

Dr Palka has been a registered Oil and Energy UK examining doctor since 2014. During his work in Aberdeen, he has undertaken multiple OGUK, ERT, and FTT medicals and supported other OGUK physicians. He also worked as a topside (remote medicine) physician, providing routine and emergency advice to offshore medics on 180 offshore installations in the North Sea and globally.

We offer online booking and fast-track, next-day appointments. Our Bristol and Chepstow clinics serve the South Wales and Bristol area.

Consider occupational health referral

Some employers may be able to offer temporary or permanent redeployment to non-safety-critical onshore work for workers who are not fit to work offshore.

Your manager may refer you for occupational health assessment. The occ health physical would undertake an in-depth review and provide recommendations on workplace adjustments, temporary or permanent, depending on the condition.

The employer only receives the Certificate of Fitness to Work Offshore. All medical details are confidential and not shared with anyone without the employee’s conse.t We comply with GMC GMP and GDPR 2018, ensuring your data is secure and processed only by authorised staff.

Useful references

HSE Information: Occupational health risks offshore

Offshore COSHH Essentials

Offshore statistics

FAQs: Offshore OEUK medical checks in Bristol

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