Lose weight or risk losing your job, chunky oil rig workers told

Up to 5,000 oil rig workers in the North Sea could be affected, the industry trade body has said. Photograph: Niall Cotton/Alamy

Thousands of North Sea oil and gas workers risk losing their jobs on offshore rigs unless they lose weight within the next year.

Workers who weigh more than 124.7kg (19.5 st) fully clothed will need to shed some pounds by next November or risk being barred from working offshore, according to the industry’s trade body.