General Oil and Gas Safety
Oil and gas extraction (OGE) workers play an important role in supporting the U.S. economy. In 2021, 326,160 workers were employed by OGE companies to help meet U.S. energy needs.
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OGE health and safety hazards are unique and complex. OGE workers are responsible for a wide range of work activities, including constructing oil and gas well sites, drilling and fracturing the wellbore, bringing fluids to the surface for transport to refineries, and providing maintenance and monitoring of well sites.
The work primarily occurs outdoors in all environmental conditions, is physically demanding, and involves daily exposure to a variety of physical and chemical hazards as well as psychological stressors. Also, workers may experience long commutes and 12-hour or longer shift work. Due to the high-risk nature of oil and gas extraction work, this workforce has an elevated fatal occupational injury rate.
According to OSHA and industry research, the leading causes of OGE injuries include:
- Transportation Incidents: Workers often travel between sites, sometimes over long distances, and are exposed to risks associated with road conditions, weather, fatigue, and equipment failure. For this reason, transportation incidents are the most common of fatalities in the OGE industry.
- Struck-by and Caught-in/Between Hazards: Workers are injured while working around heavy equipment, falling objects, or moving parts of machinery.
- Explosions and Fires: The industry handles flammable gases, vapors, and other hazardous chemicals, creating risks of fires and explosions.
- Falls: Work often involves elevated surfaces, such as drilling rigs and platforms.
- Exposure to Hazardous Substances: Workers handle or are exposed to chemicals like hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), silica, or drilling fluids, which can be toxic or corrosive.
- Overexertion and Ergonomic Injuries: The physically demanding nature of oil and gas work involves repetitive motions, heavy lifting, and awkward postures.
- Confined Space Hazards: Many oil and gas tasks occur in confined spaces, such as storage tanks or vessels, where there are risks of toxic atmospheres or engulfment.
- Fatigue and Mental Stress: Long shifts, remote locations, and demanding schedules lead to physical and mental exhaustion, increasing the risk of accidents.
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1-1. What is the most common cause of fatal accidents in the OGE industry?
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