What Is Offshore? How is Offshore Life?

 What is Offshore? How is Offshore Life?

As an offshore life science student, I have always heard about these concepts and tried to understand them in my depth and get some idea about it. So, here I am sharing few basic things about what offshore life is, and how people survive in this environment. And also, some more specific point because many people suffer from mental illness and many other chronic diseases. 

How are People Surviving away of Shore?

So let us start with simple definition of Offshore: It simply means that person living away the shore (or beach, if you want) usually live very close to water or sea. The word “offshore” is derived from Greek words meaning closer to water or ocean, whereas the term “seaside” is derived from Latin word meaning land or marshland. There are three types of Offshore production sites: Offshore oil drilling, offshore wind farming and so on. But majority of the places where people work and live are situated on an island near the sea. Because there are no barriers between Island and Sea, because when we talk about islands there is only one border which separates countries/territories- a sea – and a country itself is just divided into several islands. 

In most cases people don’t even know the boundary or they were given some other name by someone else, like, say, Netherlands Island. They used to be called Dutch Islands. So basically, whenever somebody mentions something related to this topic, you will hear “Offshore” and the first person who gets fired is usually mentioned as “Dutch-Englishman”. The reason for above is mainly due to the fact that most islands are actually part of one single continent- Europe. If they are separated by sea or land, any activity occurring at the time like transportation, military operations etc. will be impossible. 

Also, people with special skills who are working in those areas would not want to work somewhere with their own hands-on dangerous terrains which can harm. That’s why governments, scientists and organizations are trying hard to maintain safe distance between different island and seas and try to control climate. That’s why most of our day we live with the help of satellites. So, wherever one goes, he has his GPS set up and coordinates. But unfortunately, GPS set has limited range. Also, satellite systems have limitations in speed and can only send information which is only available within particular area. But, thanks to internet technology, these restrictions are getting reduced or removed gradually. 

How Does Offshore Weather Affect Human Body?  Why Mental Illness Occurs on Offshore?

When we talk about climate change, most people tend to believe that global warming or climate change affects weather only. However, there are several effects of changing climate on human body. First of all, if we talk about agriculture the whole purpose of growing crops is to provide food for humans. Any change in climatic conditions will cause changes in the supply of vegetables or crops growing. Secondly, if you want to give birth to babies then the pregnancy period may or may not be affected by climatic change. Thirdly, many animals can survive under difficult circumstances as well. So, even when extreme weather conditions occur it doesn’t mean they cannot survive. Animals live according to the requirements of their habitats and their species. Therefore, animals do not run away but adapt to changing climatic conditions. A perfect example of this is Indian Elephant species. They evolved in humid forests and adapted to rainy seasons and harsh temperatures.

All these facts clearly suggest climatic changes in nature that affect human body. Let’s check a couple of examples, most of the marine animals migrate when the temperature is increasing.There are some birds whose migration routes were changed due to rising temperatures of oceans. Seek your doctor if you feel sick at night with headache, vomiting, stomachache, chest pain, nausea, or have a general feeling that anything is wrong around you.

The above description is just a hint. Many more such symptoms indicate something more serious. To confirm the severity of such symptoms it is advised to consult your physician. But, apart from such signs there are many more symptoms as well. One obvious symptom is insomnia, which is followed by fatigue, poor concentration levels, restlessness, inability to sleep sound sleepiness, etc. More than 50% of people experiencing sleep disorder complain having difficulty sleeping.

Forcing Changes in Temperature Affecting Health, why do Some People Get Sick on Offshore?

Besides the usual reasons for illness, there are some other factors that affect human health on an immediate basis. Here are few points which are causing some major illnesses on offshore:

1. Sunlight exposure is extremely harmful for skin:

Sunlight plays a vital role in maintaining our complexion. During summer months, our skin is most exposed to sunlight. Hence the amount of UV radiation our skin absorbs can damage the skin. Especially children and adults are highly dependent on sun. Thus, in these summers they often face sunburn and the skin loses the elasticity to withstand the heat. Due to their thinning hair and loose skin, the condition becomes worse frequently.

2. Dust causes allergies:

Dust is a big source of allergens. When you breathe it you will get dust mites, pollen, mold spores, bacteria, and smoke particles through air. If you are allergic to any of these particles, you will get rashes and respiratory problems.

3. Ozone depletion causes eye irritation, dry eyes & cataracts:

Ozone is considered to be good for the eyes. It is known to enhance vision quality. But it is dangerous if the ozone layer is depleted or is excessively polluted. Increased exposure to dirty environments increases the risk of developing ophthalmological issues like cataracts, dry eyes, dry skin and itchiness in ears. If you live in crowded places like beaches, parks, and lakes or rivers, you must wear sunglasses.

4. Bad air quality increases chances of asthma:

Poor air quality due to flammable gases release from Production flare causes high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), carbon monoxide, oxygen and particulate pollution which is harmful to respiratory system. It increases the risks of developing Asthma and pneumonia.

5-Heat stress:

Drinking more and more water during Peak Summer duration can only reduce impact of Heat Stress on human body. In Offshore life Heat Stress Campaign start in mid-June and ends in Mid-September Considering midday break for outdoor works direct under between 12 pm to 3 pm.