Introduction and Overview
Oil and gas well servicing and drilling activities involve a wide variety of materials and equipment, all of which should be handled with care and safety. Recognizing and controlling possible safety violations is critical for preventing such adverse implications as injuries and deaths. The purpose of the current exploration is to conduct an observation of the processes occurring at an oil and gas plant, identifying the threats to safety and health hazards as well as suitable control measures and timescales, as well as making recommendations on realistic practices that would improve the environments at the facility and encourage the following of norms and regulations.
It is expected to review the situation in relation to oil and gas extraction activities, namely, explosions and fires, ergonomic hazards, machine hazards, electrical and other hazardous energy sources, high pressure equipment, falls among workers, as fell as issues associated with confined spaces. Vehicle collisions also represent a challenge for oil and gas extraction plants because both workers and equipment have to be transported between locations.
Vehicle crashes have been noted to be the leading cause of fatalities among oil and gas extraction workers, with 4 out of every 10 killed on the job in the industry as a result of vehicle accidents, as found by the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Therefore, the work at an oil and gas facility presents significant risks to safety, which should be identified and immediately acted upon.
Executive Summary
The observation of work conducted at an oil and gas plant showed that the risks of work at the facility are multi-dimensional and require the close attention of managers overseeing the work of employees. Injuries represent the greatest challenge for the organization because the variety of processes that workers perform are all associated with hazardous materials or environments necessary for complete everyday tasks. The purpose of the inspection was to make observations on the risks and hazards to workers’ safety. Ranging from such minor complications as sprains to more serious injuries from falls, workers are subjected to serious threats to their health and thus are highly likely to suffer from injuries. The key objective of the observation is formulating solutions to eliminate each of the identified safety threats.
The table developed for the current observation includes a list of twenty-three observed hazards associated with the work at the oil and gas plant in the first column. The second column of the table offers proposals for both short- and long-term control measures that are necessary for preventing the hazards and their implications from causing harm to workers. The third column is necessary for identifying the timeframes for solving the identified hazards as well as pointing out whether the change should be transformed into a long-term change. The timeframe column also identifies prevention and management activities that should be completed on a regular basis to guarantee the appropriate handling of hazardous occurrences.
Main Findings
The key finding of the observation is concerned with the fact that employees’ work is highly hazardous, with limited attention being paid to preventing the occurrence of injuries.
Observation #10: frequent falls among the workers of the plant.
It was observed that multiple workers fell during the work day. According to the OSHA Fall Protection Regulations, putting workers in hazardous conditions that cause falls is a breach of workplace standard. Management should ensure the protection of workers against regular falls at the facility through integrating a reliable fall protection system.
Observation #14: Moving machinery hazards.
Several hazardous situations were observed when workers were at risk of being harmed by machinery. This is a violation of the CSA Standard Z432-16 regarding the Safeguarding of machinery. It is recommended to train employees on the appropriate use of moving machinery, equipment, and vehicle handling in accordance with industry standards.
Observation #4: Inadequate face and eyes protection.
It was observed that several workers were not equipped with appropriate eye and face protection. This is in violation of OSHA 1926.102 – Eye and face protection regulation. It is recommended to invest into effective and up-to-date protective equipment to facilitate the appropriate protection of workers’ faces and eyes.
Observation #13: Strains and sprains.
During the observation, it was seen that several workers sprained their arms and legs. This is in violation of OSHA’s Strains and Sprains regulations. It is recommended to improve the ergonomics at the worksite in order to prevent the occurrence of traumatic events.
Observation #20: Hazardous materials exposure.
It was observed that the workers were routinely exposed to hazardous materials at worksites. The lack of regulation goes against OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.1200, 1915.1200, 1917.28, 1918.90, and 1926.59 Worker Education and Training (Hazard Communication Standard). It is recommended to better educate employees on how they should handle hazardous materials in order to avoid trauma.
Observation #11: Slippery surfaces.
Several surfaces on the worksite were noticed during the observation. The observation is in violation of NIOSH Slip, Trip, and Fall Prevention standards. It is recommended to invest into better cleaning and slip-proof surfaces.
Observation #12. Lack of compliance with NIOSH and OSHA standards. This observation is concerned with the general conclusions regarding the unsafe behaviors of workers. It is recommended to educate workers on better compliance efforts.
Conclusions
In order to ensure safe practices at the work sites within oil and gas plants, the management of companies is expected to control a range of processes that lead to potential risks among employees. Besides, fostering a partnership between a company and its workers is essential for facilitating the understanding of safety measures and identifying warning signs of future injuries. Early interventions show to be the most effective in preventing the occurrence of injuries at such facilities as oil and gas plans because they protect workers against potential hazards. Both workers and employers must take responsibility of different levels. Organizations should be responsible for the capabilities and limitations of their settings through a systematic process of ergonomics improvement.