The Offshore Mechanical Handling Equipment Committee is comprised of members from the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands all of whom are involved with the safety of lifting equipment and lifting operations offshore.
 
OMHEC is also the adviser for the North Sea Offshore Authorities Forum (NSOAF) in matters related to lifting offshore, formally stated in an agreement between the two parties and originally signed in the spring of 2006 and resigned in July 2014.
Members represent regulatory authorities, such the Danish Working Environment Authority (DWEA), the Netherlands State Supervision of Mines, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) of Norway and the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE). OMHEC also includes industry organisations, independent verification bodies, classification societies and other relevant organisations.

OMHEC makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained in the documents it publishes and websites it maintains, but OMHEC shall not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement contained on its website. The information contained in the OMHEC website does not fulfil or replace any user’s legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Users remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.
 
OMHEC wishes to express its concerns with respect to the safety aspects of lifting equipment and lifting operations offshore.
 
OMHEC's objectives are to continue to improve safety in offshore lifting operations and to be in the arena for harmonising good practice in lifting operations offshore in the North Sea sector.  In this respect the exchange of information concerning accidents and incidents plays an important part in the work of OMHEC.
 
The potential dangers that can arise from the improper use of lifting equipment necessitate the highest standards of safety, training and competence being applied.
 
OMHEC's guidance can be accepted by the aforementioned regulatory authorities as being good industry practice.