Tropical Further Offshore Emergency Training with CA-EBS (T-FOET with CA-EBS)

The OPITO Tropical Further Offshore Emergency Training with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (T-FOET with CA-EBS) is the refresher programme for offshore personnel working in tropical environments whose offshore emergency response training certificate is approaching its expiry date and who travel by helicopter where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) is issued.

The programme refreshes critical offshore emergency response skills that cannot be maintained through routine offshore drills alone, particularly helicopter underwater escape using CA-EBS equipment. The training extends the standard T-FOET helicopter escape sequence with dedicated CA-EBS theory and a progressive shallow-water familiarisation programme that allows learners to practise the correct deployment and use of compressed air emergency breathing equipment.

Firefighting and self-rescue techniques, together with emergency first aid skills, are also refreshed through practical scenario-based training.

Delivered in accordance with OPITO Product Codes 5614 (Tropical FOET) and 5929 (CA-EBS), certification is valid for four years.

T-FOET with CA-EBS is required for offshore personnel working in tropical regions whose offshore safety certification is approaching expiry and who travel offshore by helicopter where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) is issued.

It is the standard renewal programme for personnel working in tropical offshore regions where duty holders specify CA-EBS for helicopter transport to offshore installations.

The T-FOET with CA-EBS programme refreshes and revalidates the offshore emergency response competence of personnel who have previously completed tropical initial offshore safety training (T-BOSIET, T-BOSIET with CA-EBS, or equivalent). It covers tropical helicopter safety and escape with CA-EBS training, firefighting and self-rescue, and emergency first aid in a refresher format. Additional medical fitness requirements apply for CA-EBS exercises.

The programme combines the T-FOET standard and tropical CA-EBS content from OPITO-approved unit standards. It does not duplicate the full Safety Induction module delivered during initial T-BOSIET training.

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 in a tropical environment.
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) — Tropical

This unit refreshes learners’ helicopter travel and emergency response competence for tropical environments where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) is issued. It combines the standard T-FOET helicopter escape exercise sequence with
dedicated CA-EBS theory and a progressive shallow water familiarisation programme. Practical exercises are conducted using a Survival Systems METS™ (Modular Egress Training Simulator) Model 40 in our HUET 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, and the hazards associated with CA-EBS including lung over-expansion risk, gasp reflex, coughing, mouthpiece loss, and running out of air.

The standard T-FOET helicopter escape exercise sequence is:

• Donning an aviation lifejacket
• 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 push-out window operation, with initial liferaft actions (mooring lines, sea anchor, canopy)
• Assisting others where possible on boarding the aviation liferaft, and carrying out secondary actions (lookouts, radio beacons, first aid equipment)
• 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 operation
• Escaping from a capsized helicopter with push-out window, inflating a lifejacket, deploying a spray visor, and carrying out in-water procedures — swimming, HELP position, towing, chain, huddle, and circle formation
• 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

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

• Donning the aviation lifejacket with CA-EBS, performing pre-donning and integrity checks, including buddy checks
• Deploying CA-EBS with both hands and breathing from it at atmospheric pressure in dry conditions
• Locating CA-EBS and preparing for in-water ditching, deploying and breathing from CA-EBS in dry conditions at the helicopter simulator poolside
• 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

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

• 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.