900 Oil and Gas Safety Management

Writing Safety Policies

Policies are established guidelines and rules within an organization. The primary purpose is to let employees make decisions without having to check with the boss. Supervisors know they need not ask their boss before taking action or making a decision. Managers, supervisors and workers know they are making decisions that conform to corporate safety policies.

Below are a number of points that would be good to adopt in a company safety and health policy.

• No job or no task is more important than worker health and safety.
• A wellsite Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) will be conducted on all tasks with a potential safety or health threat.
• Every procedure must be a safe procedure. Shortcuts in safe procedures by either foremen or workers must not be tolerated.
• If workers observe any wellsite unsafe condition, which may pose a potential threat to their health or safety, they will immediately correct the situation when feasible or inform management.
• Management has the responsibility to take adequate proactive precautions, comply with OSHA standards, and assure the safety and health of employees.

Writing Safety Programs

A safety program is a plan of action to accomplish a safety objective. An effective safety program is designed around the processes, procedures, and practices normally assigned to employees and integrate safety-related decisions and precautions into them. Depending on the nature of the work being performed, Oil and gas employers must initiate and maintain such programs as may be necessary to comply with OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR 1910) and/or construction standards (29 CFR 1926). See Module 7 for more information on Programs.

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