Further Offshore Emergency Training with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (FOET with CA-EBS)

The OPITO Further Offshore Emergency Training with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (FOET with CA-EBS) is the refresher programme for offshore personnel who travel by helicopter where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) is issued and whose existing offshore safety certification is approaching its expiry date.

FOET with CA-EBS refreshes and revalidates the emergency response skills that cannot be adequately maintained through offshore drills alone. This includes helicopter underwater escape training, firefighting and self-rescue techniques, and emergency first aid.

The programme incorporates comprehensive CA-EBS training, progressing from equipment familiarisation and dry deployment through shallow-water breathing exercises and, where national regulations and risk assessments permit, advanced CA-EBS exercises conducted within the HUET simulator. Additional medical fitness requirements apply for the CA-EBS practical exercises.

Delivered in accordance with OPITO Product Code 5850, FOET with CA-EBS certification is valid for four years.

FOET with CA-EBS is required for offshore personnel who travel to offshore installations by helicopter where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-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.

The FOET with CA-EBS programme refreshes and revalidates the offshore emergency response competence of personnel who have previously completed OPITO offshore safety training and require refresher training to maintain certification. It covers helicopter safety and escape with comprehensive CA-EBS training, 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 within the helicopter and in-water exercise sequence. It does not duplicate the full Safety Induction module delivered during initial BOSIET training. Additional medical fitness requirements apply for CA-EBS practical exercises.

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 Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-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.

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

This unit refreshes learners’ helicopter travel and emergency response competence for offshore operations where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) is issued. It combines a full FOET helicopter escape exercise sequence with comprehensive CA-EBS theory and a progressive CA-EBS exercise programme progressing from dry familiarisation through shallow water training to, where national regulations and risk assessments permit, advanced CA-EBS exercises conducted within the HUET itself. 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.

CA-EBS theory covers the principles of compressed air breathing systems and their differences from rebreather EBS, all equipment components (hose, mouthpiece, cylinder, demand valve, pressure indicator, purge button, nose clip, and charging port), CA-EBS operation in conjunction with survival equipment including the survival suit and personal locator beacon, and the hazards associated with CA-EBS including lung over-expansion risk, gasp reflex, coughing, mouthpiece loss, and running out of air.

The standard FOET helicopter escape exercise sequence is:

• Donning an aviation transit suit, aviation lifejacket, and CA-EBS equipment, and conducting integrity checks including buddy checks
• Deploying CA-EBS with both hands and breathing from it at atmospheric pressure in dry conditions
• Actions in preparing for a helicopter emergency landing
• Evacuating from a helicopter trainer following a controlled emergency descent to a dry landing, locating the CA-EBS equipment and using the nominated exit
• Preparing for in-water ditching, deploying and breathing from CA-EBS in dry conditions at the helicopter simulator poolside
• Dry evacuation via a nominated emergency exit into an aviation liferaft from a helicopter ditched on water, with push-out window operation and 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
• Inflating an aviation 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

Following the standard HUET sequence, learners complete the CA-EBS shallow water exercise programme:

• 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, breathing from it in a vertical position, and moving along a horizontal rail for a minimum of 30 seconds including a change in direction
• Mustering, donning a lifejacket, and boarding and strapping in as a TEMPSC passenger

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

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 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

• Participants must hold a valid OPITO-approved offshore safety certificate (BOSIET, FOET, T-BOSIET, or T-FOET).
• 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.