Basic Offshore Safety Induction & Emergency Training (BOSIET) with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS)

The OPITO Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (BOSIET with CA-EBS) is the internationally recognised entry-level offshore safety certification for personnel travelling to offshore oil and gas installations who will be supplied with a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) during helicopter travel.

The CA-EBS is a compressed air breathing device that provides a metered supply of breathable air during helicopter underwater escape, providing an independent compressed air supply for helicopter underwater escape and requiring dedicated familiarisation and practical training to operate safely. The BOSIET with CA-EBS programme delivers the full offshore safety curriculum alongside a comprehensive CA-EBS training sequence, preparing learners to use this equipment correctly and confidently in the event of a helicopter ditching.

CA-EBS training in the BOSIET programme is among the most comprehensive available — progressing from equipment theory and dry familiarisation through shallow water exercises and, where national regulations and risk assessments permit, to advanced CA-EBS exercises conducted within the HUET itself. All other core BOSIET content areas are delivered in full as part of the programme.

Please note that additional medical fitness requirements apply for the CA-EBS practical exercises. Delivered in accordance with OPITO Product Code 5750, BOSIET with CA-EBS certification is valid for four years.

BOSIET with CA-EBS training is required for personnel travelling to offshore oil and gas installations by helicopter where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) is issued as part of the aviation survival equipment. Most offshore operators require personnel to hold a valid OPITO BOSIET certificate before travelling offshore for the first time.

This course is typically required for personnel working on offshore platforms, FPSOs, drilling rigs, and other offshore installations where CA-EBS is specified by the operator as part of helicopter emergency escape procedures.

The BOSIET with CA-EBS programme introduces learners to the specific safety issues and regimes relevant to offshore installations, equipping them with the fundamental knowledge and practical skills required to travel safely to and from offshore installations by helicopter and to respond appropriately to potential emergency situations.

The programme combines the core BOSIET safety and emergency response content with a dedicated CA-EBS training component. The CA-EBS training covers equipment theory, pre-donning checks, dry and shallow water familiarisation exercises, and, where national and local diving regulations permit, advanced CA-EBS exercises integrated into the HUET exercise sequence. This programme meets the initial offshore safety and emergency response training requirements for personnel who will be supplied with a compressed air emergency breathing system (CA-EBS) during offshore helicopter travel.

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

1. Identify the generic hazards specific to offshore oil and gas installations, potential risks associated with those hazards, and how controls are put in place to eliminate or reduce risks.
2. Identify key offshore safety regulations and explain the basic principles of offshore safety management.
3. 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 Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) equipment.
4. Demonstrate sea survival and emergency first aid techniques.
5. Demonstrate effective use of basic firefighting equipment and practise self-rescue techniques in low-visibility environments, including smoke-filled areas.

Safety Induction

The Safety Induction introduces learners to the offshore operating environment, key hazards, and the regulatory and management frameworks that govern safety in the offshore oil and gas industry. Topics covered include typical offshore installation types and layouts, the key legislation applicable to offshore oil and gas operations, and the basic principles of offshore safety management systems.

Learners study the full spectrum of offshore hazards and associated risk levels, including pressure hazards, motion hazards, chemical hazards, electrical hazards, gravity hazards, noise hazards, radiation hazards, and confined space hazards. The principles of hazard identification and risk assessment are introduced, together with the hierarchy of controls and the role of permit-to-work systems in managing high-risk activities.

The induction also covers offshore emergency management arrangements, including installation alarms and communication systems, muster stations and temporary refuge procedures, emergency roles and responsibilities, and the personal actions expected of all offshore personnel before, during, and after an emergency. Learners are introduced to the concept of personal responsibility for safety and the importance of applying safety principles consistently throughout their time offshore.

Helicopter Safety and Escape with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS)

This unit prepares learners for offshore helicopter travel with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) equipment. Practical exercises are conducted in our purpose-built pool using a Survival Systems METS™ (Modular Egress Training Simulator) Model 40, supervised by OPITO-qualified HUET safety divers.

Theoretical learning covers all standard helicopter travel and emergency procedures (pre-flight briefings, pre-boarding requirements, in-flight emergency actions, aircraft flotation, escape routes, brace positions, liferaft operations, and survival techniques), plus a comprehensive introduction to CA-EBS technology. CA-EBS theory covers the principles and components of the compressed air system (hose, mouthpiece, cylinder, demand valve, pressure indicator, purge button, nose clip, and charging port), the differences between CA-EBS and rebreather EBS systems, operation of CA-EBS in conjunction with survival equipment, and the hazards associated with CA-EBS use including lung over-expansion risk, gasp reflex, coughing, mouthpiece loss, accidental air loss, and running out of air.

Practical training covers standard HUET escape exercises followed by a dedicated CA-EBS exercise sequence. The standard HUET escape sequence includes:

• Donning an aviation lifejacket, CA-EBS equipment, and conducting integrity and buddy checks
• Actions in preparing for a helicopter ditching or emergency landing
• Evacuating from a helicopter trainer following a controlled emergency descent to a dry landing
• Dry evacuation into an aviation liferaft from a helicopter ditched on water, including push-out window operation, with initial liferaft actions
• Escaping from a partially submerged helicopter through an underwater window exit, without push-out window
• Escaping from a partially submerged helicopter through an underwater window exit, with push-out window
• Escaping from a capsized helicopter without push-out window
• Escaping from a capsized helicopter with push-out window
• Inflating an aviation lifejacket, deploying a spray visor, and boarding an aviation liferaft from the water

The CA-EBS exercise sequence that follows includes shallow water pool exercises and, where national regulations and risk assessments permit, advanced CA-EBS exercises conducted within the HUET itself:

• Conducting pre-deployment checks and deploying CA-EBS equipment
• Deploying CA-EBS with both hands and breathing from it at atmospheric pressure in dry conditions
• Locating CA-EBS equipment and evacuating from a helicopter simulator to a dry landing
• Deploying CA-EBS above water surface and breathing from it face down in shallow water (max 0.7m depth)
• Deploying CA-EBS below water surface face down in shallow water and clearing the mouthpiece by exhaling
• Deploying CA-EBS below water surface face down and clearing with purge button under water
• Deploying CA-EBS above water surface and breathing from it in a vertical position underwater
• Deploying CA-EBS underwater and moving along a horizontal rail for a minimum of 30 seconds including a change in direction
• Where local regulations permit: CA-EBS exercises conducted within the HUET, including use of CA-EBS during partial submersion and capsize escape scenarios

Note: Additional medical fitness requirements apply for the CA-EBS in-water exercises. Please contact us prior to booking for full details.

Sea Survival and First Aid

This unit covers emergency evacuation procedures, sea survival techniques, and emergency first aid for offshore operations. Learners gain a thorough understanding of the types of offshore emergencies that may require evacuation, station bills and mustering procedures, escape routes and abandonment locations, and the various means of escape available on offshore installations including fixed platforms, FPSOs, and MODUs.

Learners study the types, functions, and capabilities of Totally Enclosed Motor-Propelled Survival Craft (TEMPSC), including mustering, boarding, and strapping-in procedures, safety precautions during lowering and release, and emergency equipment and supplies. Tertiary escape methods are covered including knotted rope, scramble net, davit-launched liferaft, ladders, and person descending escape devices. The SAR organisation, rescue methods available offshore (standby vessel, FRC, MRRD, net, basket, and ladder), and helicopter rescue procedures (single and double strop, basket) are addressed. The correct donning and use of marine survival suits (immersion suits) is also covered, including the importance of thermal protection in cold water survival situations.

Practical exercises include:

• Mustering, donning a lifejacket, and boarding and strapping in as a TEMPSC passenger
• Boarding a marine liferaft from the water, carrying out initial actions (mooring lines, sea anchor, raft maintenance) and secondary actions (lookouts, radio beacons, first aid)
• Water entry and correct precautions when entering from a height
• Fitting and using a helicopter rescue device (single or double strop or basket)
• Individual in-water survival techniques: swimming, HELP position, and wave slap protection
• Group in-water survival techniques: towing, chain, huddle, and circle formations, followed by rescue by a recognised offshore method

Emergency first aid training covers the assessment and immediate management of casualties in offshore emergency situations, including recognising and responding to life-threatening conditions, performing CPR, managing unconscious casualties, and providing basic first aid until trained medical personnel are available.

Firefighting and Self-Rescue

This unit develops learners’ competence in basic firefighting and self-rescue techniques applicable to offshore environments. Learners study fire triangle and fire classification principles, onboard fire hazards, the basic principles of fire prevention, and the correct selection and use of portable firefighting equipment for Class A and Class B fires.

Practical firefighting exercises include the correct response to onboard fire incidents, raising the alarm, selecting and operating the appropriate portable fire extinguisher for the fire class involved (water, dry powder, foam, and CO2), and using a fire hose reel.

Self-rescue training focuses on the skills and techniques required to escape from smoke-filled areas and areas of reduced or zero visibility, including the correct use of smoke hoods or emergency escape breathing devices where provided. Learners practise escape route navigation, door-checking procedures, and the importance of maintaining low proximity to the floor in smoke-filled environments.

• Participants must hold a valid offshore medical certificate or equivalent medical fitness certification, in accordance with OPITO medical entry requirements.
• Additional medical fitness requirements apply for the CA-EBS in-water practical exercises. Participants must meet the relevant fitness requirements for shallow water compressed air breathing system training in addition to standard offshore medical requirements. Please contact us for details.