OPITO PRODUCT 7025 · COMPETENCE ASSESSMENT
OIMCE: OIM Controlling Emergencies
Formal assessment of a candidate acting as the OIM in the control of an emergency, conducted in a simulated environment.
OIMCE is an assessment, not a taught course. Candidates must be declared ready by their employer before assessment can take place.
What OIMCE is.
OIMCE is the OPITO standard for formally assessing whether a person can control an emergency while acting in the role of Offshore Installation Manager. Personnel presented for the product may be OIMs, Deputies for OIM or Emergency Deputies, provided the employer-readiness requirements are met. The simulated assessment itself is conducted with the candidate acting as the OIM.
It is deliberately not a course. By the time a candidate sits OIMCE, the training, practice, drills and experience are expected to have already happened. The assessment exists to demonstrate, formally and to a common industry standard, that the competence is there.
Who it is for.
OIMCE is for personnel who have been deemed ready by their employer for formal competence assessment and who may be serving as an OIM, Deputy for OIM or Emergency Deputy for OIM. The judgement of readiness belongs to the employer. During the simulated assessment, the candidate is assessed acting as the OIM.
Before assessment can take place.
Entry to OIMCE requires a formal declaration and supporting evidence from the candidate's employer. The declaration confirms that the candidate has achieved the performance criteria for maintaining a state of readiness in the workplace, has satisfied the standard's core and asset-type knowledge requirements, and has been deemed ready for formal assessment against the remaining outcomes. OPITO publishes a supporting OIM Duty Holder Declaration document for this purpose, and all evidence must be provided before any certificate can be awarded.
Because assessment activities can be demanding and stressful, candidates also complete medical screening before participating in practical exercises.
If you are unsure whether your evidence is in order, ask us before arranging assessment; establishing that early avoids wasted time on both sides.
How the assessment works.
The candidate is assessed controlling emergencies in a simulated environment, across a minimum of three emergency scenarios. There are no fixed timings: sufficient time and access are arranged so that every required performance criterion can be properly assessed. A maximum of four attempts is permitted to achieve successful assessment of the three scenarios.
The certificate carries no formal expiry date. OPITO recommends that certificate holders are re-assessed at least every three years, and duty holders may incorporate that reassessment recommendation into their competence arrangements.
The assessment environment at Poseidon
The candidate is assessed acting as the OIM in a simulated emergency environment using the Poseidon Simulator. Assessment is conducted across the required emergency scenarios, with an assessor observing performance against the OPITO criteria as the situation develops. The assessment arrangement includes the required discipline-expert input and sufficient role players to maintain the reality of the simulation. Before formal assessment, the candidate is briefed on the criteria and given the opportunity to become familiar with the assessment process and facilities.
Assessment availability.
OIMCE assessments are arranged around candidate and employer readiness rather than a fixed public calendar. Tell us who needs to be assessed and when, and we will come back with availability.
Preparing for assessment at Poseidon?
Rig Command Practice™ is Poseidon's own optional practice day, the day before your OIMCE assessment: familiarisation with the Emergency Command Centre and simulator, two practice scenarios and written feedback. It is a Poseidon programme and is not part of the OPITO assessment.
Assessing your OIMs and deputies.
OIMCE is employer-led because candidate readiness and supporting evidence must be provided by the employer. Whether that means assessing an installation's OIM cohort, scheduling reassessment cycles or building assessment into a wider competence programme, start that conversation with us directly.
No. OIMCE is a formal competence assessment. Your employer must declare you ready and provide supporting evidence before assessment can take place, so the right first step is an assessment enquiry rather than a booking.
A formal declaration with supporting evidence, confirming you have met the standard's workplace-readiness and knowledge requirements and are ready for formal assessment. OPITO publishes a Duty Holder Declaration document for this.
A minimum of three emergency scenarios, with a maximum of four attempts permitted to achieve successful assessment of the three.
There is no formal expiry date. OPITO recommends re-assessment at least every three years.