There is no denying it: employee safety remains an issue in the oil and gas industry. Recently, Americans have witnessed the introduction of the Infrastructure Plan which promises a revolution across the construction and engineering industries. However, the headlines were also dominated by claims that fatalities were underreported by federal agencies in the oil and gas industry- illustrating other key concerns that need to be prioritized. While the industry has always been known to be a high-risk one, the continuing pattern of health and safety incidents has raised a key question in our midst: are employers doing all they can to keep their workers safe in the oil and gas industry. In short, the answer is that there is a lot more than can be done to make a difference to safety concerns circulating in the industry.

When it comes to the causes of fatalities in the oil and gas industry, accidents from driving/riding a motor vehicle still lead the table. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, vehicle collisions are one of the most common safety hazards in oil and gas extraction activities.  Encouraging safe driving behavior and spotting potential vehicle risks can help to cut these figures significantly. An In-Vehicle Monitoring System allows managers to monitor driver activities and can alert you of high-risk behaviors such as speeding or drowsy driving. A crash in an oil and gas environment can be even more catastrophic than a typical crash, due to the explosives around. In such cases, prevention is truly better and an in-vehicle monitoring system can help with this.

A culture of open communication and continuous training can keep workers updated on developments in their worksites and potential hazards. While most firms offer safety training for new employees, it is not consistently offered throughout their tenure as an oil and gas employee- an often overlooked failure on their part.

Instead, employers should be committed to offering their employees (both new and current) annual safety training exercises to refresh their knowledge. The good news is, the industry is now awash with OSHA-approved safety training courses like API Learning and The National Safety Council Safety Training. Also, ensuring all workers are trained in basic first aid should be made compulsory. However, the reality is, accidents still happen despite a company’s best efforts to stay on the safe side. In such cases, the best thing one can do is seek medical help, as well as legal advice from an oilfield accident lawyer.

The oil and gas industry is a risky one. This fact is well known by now. Therefore, one of the best moves employers can make in addressing employee safety is being adequately prepared for an incident. To do this, employers must make sure that they have robust communication protocols in place. It begins with educating your workers on the top safety incidents to look out for in the oil and gas industry like vehicle collision and chemical exposures.

And last but not least, ensure you have designated point persons for emergency responses who can coordinate with local authorities, injured parties, and medical professionals. Providing them with advanced safety training would also be a good idea.

Can we eradicate the risks that come with the oil and gas industry? Unfortunately not. However, by playing a more proactive role, employers can drastically reduce the figures the industry has been seeing in recent years.