Introduction

The OPITO Further Offshore Emergency Training with Emergency Breathing System (FOET with EBS) is the internationally recognised refresher programme for offshore personnel who travel by helicopter with a rebreather Emergency Breathing System (EBS) issued. It is designed for personnel whose existing OPITO offshore safety certification is approaching expiry and who need to refresh and revalidate their emergency response skills.

FOET with EBS refreshes and revalidates the emergency response skills that cannot be adequately maintained through offshore drills alone. This includes helicopter underwater escape with EBS, firefighting and self-rescue techniques, and emergency first aid. The programme combines a full HUET exercise sequence with integrated EBS training, covering atmospheric and in-pool EBS familiarisation before progressing through a staged series of underwater escape scenarios with EBS deployed. Firefighting and self-rescue, and emergency first aid skills are also refreshed, with particular emphasis on consolidating knowledge gained in previous BOSIET or FOET training.

Delivered in accordance with OPITO Product Code 5858, FOET with EBS certification is valid for four years. Certificates must be renewed before expiry to maintain eligibility for offshore work involving helicopter travel with EBS.

Who Needs FOET with EBS Training?

FOET with EBS is required for offshore personnel who travel to offshore installations by helicopter where a rebreather Emergency Breathing System (EBS) is issued and whose existing OPITO offshore safety certificate is approaching its expiry date.

The course is typically undertaken by personnel working on offshore platforms, FPSOs, drilling rigs, and other offshore installations who previously completed BOSIET or FOET training and must renew their certification to continue travelling offshore.

Scope

The FOET with EBS programme refreshes and revalidates the offshore emergency response competence of personnel who have previously completed OPITO offshore safety training and require periodic refresher training to maintain certification. It covers helicopter safety and escape with EBS integration, firefighting and self-rescue, and emergency first aid in a refresher format designed to consolidate and update skills acquired during initial training.

The programme includes sea survival refresher elements embedded within the helicopter and in-water exercise sequence. It does not duplicate the full Safety Induction module delivered during initial BOSIET training.

General Course Objectives

The objectives of this training are that learners will be able to:

1. Demonstrate, in a simulated environment, that they can use safety equipment and follow procedures in preparing for and during helicopter emergencies, with particular focus on escaping from a helicopter following ditching using Emergency Breathing System (EBS) equipment.
2. Demonstrate that they can use basic firefighting equipment effectively, and use self-rescue techniques in low-visibility and completely obscured visibility situations.
3. Demonstrate that they can perform basic first aid.

Course Content

Further Helicopter Safety and Escape with Emergency Breathing System (EBS)

This unit refreshes learners’ helicopter travel and emergency response competence for offshore operations where a rebreather Emergency Breathing System (EBS) is issued, extending the standard FOET helicopter escape exercise sequence with full EBS integration. Theoretical learning reviews all standard helicopter emergency procedures, together with the principles and duration of EBS, flotation dynamics associated with EBS use, and correct donning and operating procedures. Practical exercises are conducted using a Survival Systems METS™ (Modular Egress Training Simulator) Model 40 in our HUET pool facility, supervised by OPITO-qualified HUET safety divers.

The full exercise sequence includes:

• Donning an aviation transit suit, aviation lifejacket, and EBS equipment, and conducting integrity checks
• Deploying, operating, and breathing from EBS equipment at atmospheric pressure in dry conditions
• Deploying, operating, and breathing from EBS in a pool, experiencing positive and negative pressure from body orientation in water
• Actions in preparing for a helicopter ditching or emergency landing
• Dry evacuation via a nominated emergency exit into an aviation liferaft from a helicopter ditched on water, including EBS deployment and push-out window operation, with initial liferaft actions
• Assisting others on boarding the aviation liferaft and carrying out secondary actions (lookouts, radio beacons, first aid equipment)
• Escaping from a partially submerged helicopter with EBS deployed and operating, without push-out window
• Escaping from a partially submerged helicopter with EBS deployed and operating, with push-out window
• Escaping from a capsized helicopter with EBS deployed prior to capsize, using a push-out window, inflating a lifejacket, deploying a spray visor, and carrying out in-water procedures — swimming, HELP position, towing, chain, huddle, and circle
• Boarding an aviation liferaft from the water
• Being rescued by one of the recognised methods available offshore
• Mustering, donning a lifejacket, and boarding and strapping in as a TEMPSC passenger

Further Firefighting and Self-Rescue

This unit refreshes learners’ firefighting competence and self-rescue skills for offshore operations, covering theoretical knowledge, practical extinguisher use on live fires, and self-rescue techniques under smoke-obscured conditions.

Theoretical learning reviews the principles of fire behaviour, raising the alarm, correct selection and operation of portable fire extinguishers for Class A and Class B fires, and self-rescue procedures in areas of reduced and completely obscured visibility. Practical exercises include:

• Raising the alarm on the discovery of a fire
• Correct operation of handheld portable fire extinguishers — water or foam, CO₂, and dry chemical — on Class A and Class B fires
• Self-rescue with a smoke hood or partial blindfold from an area of reduced visibility
• Self-rescue with a smoke hood or partial blindfold from an area of completely obscured visibility
• Small group escape with smoke hoods or partial blindfolds from an area of completely obscured visibility, concluding with a muster exercise

Further Emergency First Aid

This unit refreshes learners’ emergency first aid knowledge and practical skills relevant to offshore operations. The delivery focuses on consolidating and enhancing learning from the learner’s previous BOSIET, FOET, T-BOSIET, or T-FOET training.

Theoretical learning reviews first aid arrangements offshore, types of injuries (including bleeding, burns, and chemical contact), prioritising actions in a casualty situation, immediate first aid actions prior to the arrival of medical assistance (including assessing the situation, making the area safe, attending to unconscious casualties, and summoning help), raising the alarm, checking airways and breathing, and placing a casualty in the recovery position.

Practical first aid exercises include:

• Raising the alarm and assessing the situation
• Checking the area is safe
• Industry-recognised first aid practice including CPR, airway management, and recovery position

Travel Safely by Boat Initial Training

This unit equips learners with the knowledge and practical skills required to travel and transfer safely between vessels and offshore installations by boat. Theoretical learning covers pre-boarding procedures, safe boarding and disembarkation, in-transit safety requirements, personnel transfer procedures, the hazards associated with boat fenders and vessel-to-platform distances, different types of transfer baskets, and correct methods for safe basket transfers. Boat emergency procedures are also covered, including donning a marine lifejacket, abandonment procedures, and individual and group survival techniques.

Practical exercises include:

• Donning an appropriate flotation device as used during boat transfers
• Swing rope integrity checks and correct luggage transfer technique prior to transfer
• Swing rope transfer in both directions between a simulated boat deck and a fixed installation deck, using both hands
• Donning a marine lifejacket
• Water entry and correct precautions when entering the water
• Boarding a marine liferaft from the water and carrying out initial and secondary actions
• Individual in-water survival techniques (swimming, HELP, wave slap protection) and group survival techniques (towing, chain, huddle, circle)

Prerequisites

• Participants must hold a valid OPITO-approved offshore safety certificate (BOSIET, FOET, T-BOSIET, or T-FOET) and a valid Travel Safely by Boat Initial Training certificate.
• Participants must hold a valid offshore medical certificate or equivalent medical fitness certification, in accordance with OPITO medical entry requirements.