Q&A: OEUK Medicals for Offshore Wind in the U.S.

RMI can now offer OEUK medicals to companies working in the offshore wind industry in the U.S. This Q&A will:

• Help you understand what an OEUK medical is
• Explain how and where your workforce can get an OEUK medical
• Explain how RMI can assist 

What is “OEUK”?

Offshore Energies United Kingdom (OEUK) is a UK-based, not-for-profit trade association for operators, contractors, explorers, and producers of offshore energy. OEUK was first established in 1973 as the UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) and consisted of major operators such as BP and Shell.  In 2007, UKOOA changed its name to Oil & Gas UK (OGUK) and opened the association to the whole of the oil and gas industry.  Recognizing that offshore energy production extends beyond oil and gas, now including industries such as offshore wind, in 2022, OGUK rebranded as OEUK. 

What is an “OEUK Medical”?

One of the OEUK’s goals is to identify and promote good practices. One such “good practice” is ensuring that personnel deploying offshore are medically fit to work in an offshore environment. To ensure this, the OEUK created a registry of doctors. These doctors have knowledge of the offshore environment and remote and occupational medicine and have been trained and certified by the OEUK to conduct offshore medical exams. Therefore, an “OEUK Medical” is a certificate issued by an OEUK registered doctor, following the OEUK standards, stating that an individual is medically cleared for offshore work. The OEUK medical is valid for a maximum of 2 years.

What does an OEUK medical exam entail?

An OEUK medical exam generally consists of the following:

• Screening questionnaire that asks questions about the individual’s health history, medications, allergies, and current symptoms
• Assessment of weight, height, and Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Basic vitals, including pulse and blood pressure
• Routine physical exam by the examining doctor
• Urinalysis (i.e., routine urine test)
• A hearing test (audiometry)
• Vision testing (i.e., near, distance, and color)

Where are OEUK medicals required?

Due to OEUK’s known standards of excellence and longstanding reputation in the offshore industry, OEUK medicals are often required well outside of UK waters. For example, many operators have adopted OEUK medicals as the standard for their workers deploying to offshore wind sites in New England or offshore oil & gas sites in the Gulf of Mexico.  

Where can I get an OEUK medical exam?

Conveniently, OEUK has a database of OEUK registered doctors. The database consists of thousands of doctors globally. Interested personnel can get an OEUK medical exam anywhere there is a registered OEUK doctor.

What if there aren’t any OEUK doctors near my location?

Herein lies a problem. The registry of OEUK doctors has a dense concentration of registered doctors in the UK and known oil & gas hubs such as Houston, TX, and the UAE. However, outside of these areas, it can be a bit hit or miss. For example, RMI recently had a client with a project near New Bedford, MA, and the nearest OEUK doctor is in Wilmington, MA, which is a 90+ minute drive each way. For RMI’s client, this long drive was an issue. However, RMI was able to mitigate this issue by conducting remote OEUK medicals.

What is a remote OEUK medical?

A remote OEUK Medical is largely the same as a standard OEUK Medical. The offshore worker goes to a clinic and gets the required exams and tests. However, instead of seeing the OEUK doctor, in person, at the clinic, the OEUK doctor performs their consultation remotely. This enables OEUK doctors to extend their reach beyond their physical location, helping to ensure that companies have access to OEUK medicals near their project location.

Where does RMI offer remote OEUK medicals?

RMI has a network of thousands of clinics around the world, including many areas where there are no OEUK doctors. This enables RMI to offer remote OEUK medicals by scheduling the physical elements of an examination anywhere we have a clinic prior to conducting a remote consultation. Additionally, we have a network of OEUK doctors who are willing and able to perform remote OEUK consultations around the clock to accommodate various time zones. RMI clinic locations include many U.S. Offshore Wind hubs such as New Bedford, MA; Norfolk, VA; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Annapolis, MD; Charleston, SC; Honolulu, HI; San Francisco, CA; and more.

How can RMI assist with OEUK medicals?

Since 2015, RMI has been coordinating OEUK medicals for our clients. While scheduling appointments may seem straightforward, there are challenges to consider: 

• Understanding the requirements
• Finding clinics that meet those requirements
• Scheduling appointments and ensuring personnel show up to the appointments
• Ensuring consistent results are delivered regardless of where the appointments are scheduled
• Processing and storing health information containing sensitive information in a HIPAA/GDPR compliant fashion
• Managing billing with clinics and suppliers

Fortunately, RMI is here to partner with your organization to address these challenges by coordinating OEUK medicals, and other occupational health services, on your behalf. We have the people, expertise, and network to coordinate occupational health services in most locations globally. 

Please contact us for additional information.