FOET Training UK — What to Expect and How It Differs from BOSIET

FOET Training UK — What to Expect and How It Differs from BOSIET

If you hold a BOSIET certificate and it is coming up for renewal, FOET is basically your renewal. It is shorter, more relaxed, and — if you enjoyed the HUET the first time around, then brilliant… you get to do it again!

Here is everything you need to know and please be aware this relates mainly to the off shore energy sector but check with different organisations, Wind farms are different and working only on a vessel will require require an STCW and potentially more qulaifications too. I plan to release more guides so you are best placed for all of these and how they differ.

What Is FOET?

FOET stands for Further Offshore Emergency Training. It is the one-day refresher course required to renew your BOSIET certification every four years. Without it your BOSIET expires and you cannot travel offshore. Simple as that. If you need any information on BOSIET, check out our article here.

Where BOSIET is the full initial course for people entering the offshore industry for the first time, FOET is designed for experienced workers who already have the foundational knowledge and just need to refresh and demonstrate their skills.

How Is FOET Different from BOSIET?

BOSIET is a multi-day intensive course covering everything from scratch — all the theory, all the practical modules, all the assessments. It is designed for people who have never done this before.

FOET covers the same core competencies — HUET, firefighting, sea survival, first aid — but in a single day and at a much faster pace. The assumption is that you already know this. The course is about refreshing and demonstrating existing skills, not teaching them from the beginning.

In practice: FOET is easier, quicker, and considerably less stressful than BOSIET. If you found BOSIET hard going, FOET will feel straightforward. And if you enjoyed the HUET first time around — and most people do once they have done it once — you get to do it again.

What Does FOET Cover?

The course covers four core modules:

Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET) — the highlight for many delegates, including me. Same simulator, same inversions, same CA-EBS breathing system as BOSIET. The difference is you know what is coming, which makes it considerably more enjoyable.

Basic Firefighting and Self-Rescue — practical firefighting techniques and navigating smoke-filled environments. Same content as BOSIET, refreshed. Also so much fun. expect to get very hot and uncomfortable. when i have done this they trainers are exceptional with their explanations and teaching methods for all.

Sea Survival — liferaft procedures, abandoning ship, survival techniques in cold water. See our Cold watert shock article

Emergency First Aid — basic first aid skills relevant to the offshore environment.

What Do You Need to Bring?

Same as BOSIET:

— Valid photographic ID — passport or driving licence. Compulsory, no exceptions
— Swimwear and a towel — you will get wet in the HUET
— Coveralls or boiler suit
— Safety shoes or rig boots
— One change of warm clothing
— If shoe size below 4 or above 12, bring old trainers

Medical Requirements

You still need a valid medical to attend FOET — the same OEUK offshore medical or ENG1 certificate required for BOSIET. Make sure yours is in date before you book. Getting to the training centre and being turned away because of an expired medical is an avoidable and expensive mistake.

When Should You Book?

You can complete FOET up to 90 days before your BOSIET expiry date without losing any time on your new certificate. Book well in advance — good training centres fill up, especially in Aberdeen where demand is constant.

Do not leave it until the last week before expiry. If there is no availability and your certificate lapses you cannot mobilise offshore until it is renewed. That can have serious consequences for your employment.

Where Can You Do FOET in the UK?

OPITO approved FOET training is available at centres across the UK including Aberdeen, Middlesbrough, Great Yarmouth, Southampton, Glasgow, and Fleetwood. Find an approved centre directly at opito.com.

My Honest Take

Enjoy it. You already know the material, you have already done the HUET, and a day of refresher training in a good group with experienced instructors is genuinely one of the more enjoyable days in an offshore worker’s calendar. Go in relaxed, pay attention to the bits that have changed since your BOSIET, and make the most of the HUET while you are there.

Always verify current FOET requirements and medical prerequisites directly with your chosen OPITO approved training centre before booking. Requirements are subject to periodic review.