All non-essential workers will be taken off the oil and gas platforms in offshore Newfoundland as soon as practical, but the industry has put in place a process to check incoming and outgoing personnel.

Oil will still be pumped from the ocean floor, but only essential workers will be on board.

Paul Barnes, director for Canada and Arctic with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, says they will have controls and checks in place at the heliport for workers.

Offshore workers will be greeted by a nurse who will ask a series of screening questions about travel history, and will do temperature checks. Barnes says the same process applies to supply vessels.