Offshore Medicine

1 Introduction.- Geological Exploration.- Drilling Rigs.- Exploratory Drilling.- Development.- Production.- Communications and Transport.- Hazards.- Costs of Offshore Operations.- Implications for the Doctor.- 2 Legal Aspects of Safety, Health and Welfare on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.- The Continental Shelf Doctrine.- Safety, Health and Welfare Legislation on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.- Summary.- References.- Schedule of Principal Legislation Governing Safety, Health and Welfare Offshore in France, The Netherlands and Norway.- 3 Pre-placement and Periodic Medical Examinations.- Pre-placement Examinations.- Periodic Examinations.- 4 Provision of Back-up Services.- Mobile Intensive Care Teams.- Offshore Disasters.- 5 Offshore Medical Care.- Functions of the Offshore Medic.- Medics in the North Sea.- Medics and Diving.- Medical Facilities and Supplies.- Communications and Transport.- Transporting a Sick or Injured Person.- Standby Vessels.- Medical Services to Ships.- 6 Some Special Problems.- Hydrogen Sulphide.- Methane.- Methanol.- Ethylene Glycol.- Obesity.- Dust.- DrilHng Mud.- Welding.- Noise and Vibration.- Trauma.- Scabies and Other Infestations.- Tropical and Other Endemic Diseases in Immigrants.- Psychological Disturbances.- Drugs and Alcohol.- Partial Drowning and its Treatment.- Hypothermia.- 7 Diving.- Diving Techniques.- Gases Used in Diving.- Decompression Techniques.- Medical Problems.- Professional Bodies Associated with Diving.- Sources of Medical Advice in a Diving Emergency.- Medical Examination of Divers.- Return to Diving Following Decompression Sickness and Other Illnesses.- Flying After Diving.- Transport of a Patient with Decompression Sickness.- Transfer Under Pressure and Hyperbaric Rescue.- Sources of Assistance in a DivingEmergency.- Long-term Effects of Diving.- Drugs Under Pressure.- 8 Catering and Hygiene.- Critical Areas.- Routine Health and Hygiene Inspections.- 9 Dental Problems Offshore.- Dental Standards.- Dental First Aid.- Dental Problems in Diving.- Prosthetics.- Summary.- 10 Investigation of Fatal and Non-Fatal Accidents.- The Fatal Accident.- The Non-Fatal Accident.- Organisation of Accident Investigation.- Accident History.- Diving Accidents.- Transport of Bodies.- Conclusion.- Appendices.- 1 Drugs and Dressings for Offshore Installation Sick Bays.- 2 List of Drugs, Dressings and Equipment Required Under Scale III of the Merchant Shipping (Medical Scales) Regulations 1974.- 3 Medical Supplies to be Kept at Diving Sites.- 4 Medical Equipment for Offshore Emergencies.- 5 Contents of Medical Chest for Use in Offshore Disasters.- 6 List of Extra Medical Equipment to be Kept on Rigs for Use in Major Disasters.- 7 Major Items of Furniture and Medical Equipment for Offshore Installations.- 8 Addresses of Societies and Committees Connected With Diving.- 9 Training Programme for Rig Medics.- 10 Routine Offshore Hygiene Inspection.- 11 Extract from the Offshore Installations (Operational Safety, Heakh and Welfare) Regulations 1976: ST. 1976. no. 1019.- 12 Extract from the Norwegian Regulations Regarding Medical Facilities on Offshore Installations: Royal Decree, 25 November 1977, Relating to Hygiene, Medical Equipment, Medicines, etc., on Installations for Production, etc., of Submarine Petroleum Resources, etc.- 13 Control of Noise and Vibration on Offshore Installations (from Offshore Installations: Guidance on Design and Construction, HMSO).- 14 First Aid and Paramedical Training of Divers. Guidelines Compiled by European Undersea Biomedical Society.- 15 DMAC Aide Mémoire forRecording and Transmission of Medical Data to Shore.- 16 Sources of Assistance in Diving Emergencies.- 17 TheUseof Drugs Under Pressure.- 18 Recommended Contents of First-Aid Boxes in Lifeboats and Survival Capsules.