Which offshore jobs do not require BOSIET?

Not all offshore jobs require BOSIET. Roles that do not involve helicopter travel to offshore installations are generally exempt, since BOSIET (Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training) is specifically designed to prepare workers for helicopter ditching and survival scenarios. Whether you need the certificate depends primarily on how you travel to and from your work location, and on what the operator or client requires.

Below, we answer the most common questions about BOSIET exemptions and who actually needs this certification in 2026.

What types of offshore roles typically require BOSIET?

BOSIET is typically required for any professional who travels to an offshore installation by helicopter. This includes oil and gas workers, drilling engineers, maintenance technicians, catering staff, medics, and inspection personnel stationed on fixed platforms or floating production units. If your route to work involves a helicopter over open water, BOSIET is almost always mandatory.

The certificate covers four core areas that are critical for helicopter-based offshore access:

• Sea survival and personal survival techniques
• Helicopter underwater escape training (HUET)
• Firefighting and fire prevention awareness
• First aid at the basic level

Operators and installation managers typically enforce BOSIET requirements through their personnel-on-board (POB) access procedures. Without a valid BOSIET certificate, most helidecks simply will not allow you to board.

Which offshore jobs are exempt from BOSIET requirements?

Offshore jobs that do not involve helicopter travel are generally exempt from BOSIET requirements. Workers who reach their work location exclusively by vessel, such as dive support ships, construction barges, or crew transfer vessels, often do not need BOSIET. Similarly, shoreside support roles, onshore logistics staff, and office-based project personnel are not required to hold the certificate.

Common roles that may not require BOSIET include:

• Onshore logistics and supply chain coordinators
• Port-based marine superintendents who do not board offshore installations
• Shore-based engineers and project managers with no offshore access
• Vessel crew operating purely in coastal or port environments
• Administrative and HR personnel who never travel offshore

It is worth noting that “offshore jobs without BOSIET” does not mean those roles carry no safety training requirements at all. Other certifications may still apply depending on the sector and work environment.

Does BOSIET apply to offshore wind technicians?

BOSIET does not typically apply to offshore wind technicians. The offshore wind sector operates under a different safety framework, and most wind technicians reach their turbines by crew transfer vessel (CTV) rather than helicopter. The standard certification for offshore wind workers is the GWO Basic Safety Training (BST), which covers sea survival, first aid, manual handling, working at height, and fire awareness.

Some senior wind professionals or those working on larger floating wind installations may be required to hold BOSIET in addition to GWO training, but this is project-specific and operator-driven rather than a sector-wide rule. If you work in offshore wind and are unsure which certificate applies to your role, checking with your employer or the installation operator is the most reliable approach.

Can vessel crew replace BOSIET with STCW training?

In many cases, yes. Vessel crew who hold relevant STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) certificates may be exempt from BOSIET requirements, particularly when their work does not involve boarding fixed offshore installations via helicopter. STCW covers sea survival, firefighting, first aid, and personal safety at a level that satisfies many operators for vessel-based roles.

However, STCW and BOSIET serve different purposes and are not always interchangeable. BOSIET includes helicopter underwater escape training, which STCW does not cover. If a vessel crew member is required to travel to a platform by helicopter at any point, the operator will almost always require a valid BOSIET certificate regardless of STCW qualifications. The two certifications can complement each other rather than replace one another entirely.

Who ultimately decides whether BOSIET is required for a job?

The installation operator or client company makes the final decision on whether BOSIET is required for a specific role or project. While OPITO sets the standard and content of the BOSIET qualification, it is the operator who defines access requirements for their installation. This means that BOSIET requirements can vary between projects, operators, and countries even within the same sector.

In practice, the decision is shaped by three factors:

1. Mode of transport: Helicopter access almost always triggers a BOSIET requirement.
2. Operator policy: Some operators apply BOSIET requirements broadly as a baseline safety standard, even for roles that could technically be exempt.
3. Country or regional regulation: Certain jurisdictions, such as the UK North Sea or Norwegian Continental Shelf, have regulatory guidance that influences what operators mandate.

If you are unsure whether your role requires BOSIET, the safest course of action is to confirm directly with the operator, your employer, or the contracting company before your project start date. Arriving without the correct certification can result in denied access and project delays.

How we help you navigate offshore training requirements

Understanding which certificate applies to your role is not always straightforward, and the last thing you want is to arrive at a project without the right documentation. We help both individual professionals and organizations cut through the confusion and get the right training in place, on time.

Here is what we offer to make that process easier:

• A broad range of OPITO offshore courses, including BOSIET, FOET, HUET, and T-BOSIET
• Training centers located near major ports, airports, and industry hubs across the Netherlands, Belgium, France, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and more
• Guaranteed course continuity, even with small groups, so your schedule is never at risk
• Free cancellation or rescheduling up to 24 hours before the course starts
• Support for both individual bookings and bulk organizational registrations

Whether you need to confirm which certificate applies to your situation or you are ready to book, our team is here to help. Get in touch with us and we will make sure you have the right training sorted before your next project.