What employers need to know
Implementing the OEUK guidelines 2025 means aligning company procedures with the new standards for offshore workers. The OEUK Medical Guidelines – Issue 8 (2025) set the new medical standard for all personnel working offshore in the UK sector.
For employers, HR departments and crewing teams, the focus now shifts from preparation to continuous compliance – ensuring that every employee consistently meets the required medical standards.
What has changed
The new OEUK guidelines introduce several important updates. Employers should be aware of the following key changes.
The main revisions include new, standardised certificates (Standard, Conditional, Fitness to Train and Fitness to Return to Work); updated assessment criteria for medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and ADHD; and a maximum clothed weight limit of 124 kg.
Formal medication letters have been introduced, including a separate declaration for those using weight-loss medication.
There are also specific medical requirements for crane operators and Emergency Response Team (ERT) members, as well as a formalised process for returning to work after illness or medical evacuation.
Keep medical records up to date
When implementing the OEUK guidelines 2025 employers must ensure that all offshore personnel hold a valid OEUK medical certificate. Certificates issued under Issue 6 before 1 November 2025 remain valid until their expiry date, but all renewals thereafter must comply with Issue 8 (2025).
Certificates with a reduced validity, for example, where body weight is between 115 and 124 kg, should be actively monitored.
Supporting documents such as optician’s reports (for crane operators), medication letters, weight-loss medication declarations and ERT assessments should be correctly added to each employee’s personnel file.
Often, a simple overview of certificate expiry dates within the crewing database is enough to maintain full compliance with the guideline.
Communicate clearly with your offshore personnel
Offshore personnel should clearly understand what is expected of them under the new standard.
Topics to address during inductions or safety briefings include the weight policy and its impact on certificate validity, the purpose and handling of medication letters (these remain the property of the employee, not the employer), the Return-to-Work process after illness or evacuation, and the requirements for ERT fitness testing and Safety Risk Assessments (SRA).
Clear communication helps to prevent misunderstandings and enables workers to plan their medical renewals in good time.
Update internal procedures
All company documents and HR templates should now refer to OEUK Issue 8 (2025).
Ensure that instructions for booking medicals and verifying certificates are up to date, that procedures for storing and retrieving medical information are properly maintained, and that cooperation between the company doctor and the OEUK-registered examining doctor is clearly defined.
In addition, confidential medical information should be accessible only to authorised staff and processed fully in line with UK GDPR requirements. This ensures internal practices remain aligned with the updated OEUK guideline and data protection standards.
Only work with approved OEUK doctors
Only OEUK-registered examining doctors are authorised to issue certificates under Issue 8 (2025).
By partnering with an accredited provider such as OmniHealth, you can be confident that all certificates and declarations meet the official OEUK standard, that the correct forms and formats are used, and that your organisation remains fully compliant with current offshore medical requirements..
Compliance is an ongoing process
Implementing OEUK Issue 8 (2025) is not a one-time transition but an ongoing responsibility.
By keeping certificates and supporting documents current, verifying records before mobilisation, and maintaining close coordination between HR teams and medical providers, employers can ensure safe and efficient offshore operations that meet the OEUK medical standard.
At OmniHealth, all OEUK medicals are carried out in full accordance with the latest guidelines, including the weight policy, medication letters, return-to-work certification and role-specific assessments for ERT members and crane operators.
Written by Sven Daam, ILT-, OEUK- and ElementNL-certified medical examiner specialising in maritime and offshore health assessments.
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