A study into the size of offshore oil workers has been announced.
Figures available to the UK industry indicate that each worker is, on average, 19% heavier than was the case in the mid-1980s.
Weight is routinely measured before offshore helicopter flights. Scans will now by made of 600 workers to determine whether the offshore infrastructure can cope with the current workforce.
The industry says it wants to know if workers are taller or just heavier.
The process of gathering and analysing the data is expected to take two years.
Industry body Oil and Gas UK says the information will help determine the dimensions of any new installations and whether existing facilities needed to be modified.