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NOTE: This document is provided for historical purposes only.
The authors ask you:
The Oil and Gas Extraction (O&G) industry has a history of high occupational fatality rates. Between 2003 and 2006, the annual occupational fatality rate was 28 per 100,000 workers - six times higher than the national average. The purpose of this project was to determine what factors contribute to the elevated injury fatality rate in the O&G industry and to consult with workers and industry partners to develop products that address those factors. We analyzed injury data to identify common events and risk factors. The two main problems that we chose to focus on were motor vehicle crashes and falls. We then conducted site visits with workers to better understand the reasons why these injuries occur. The information collected was used to develop videos that describe the importance and benefits of seat belt and fall protection use in the O&G industry. To ensure the effectiveness of our products, the videos feature O&G workers sharing their experiences and safety messages.
The Oil and Gas Extraction (O&G) industry employs over 400,000 workers* in the US on both offshore and land drilling and workover (well maintenance) rigs. The activity in this industry has grown in recent years, resulting in an increase in employment and corresponding increase in injuries. Between 2003 and 2006, the annual average number of actively drilling and workover rigs increased by 49% and the estimated number of employees in O&G increased by 40%. During the same time period, the annual occupational fatality rate was 28 per 100,000 workers. This rate is six times higher than the national average.1
The fatality rate in this industry is highly variable. The annual occupational fatality rate in this industry varied by more than 80% during 1993-2006. This variation is correlated with the level of activity in the industry2-4 (Figure 1). Fatality rates are higher when there is an increased number of active drilling and workover rigs. This has been hypothesized to be a result of an increase in the proportion of inexperienced workers, longer working hours (more overtime), and the utilization of all available rigs (older equipment with fewer safeguards). Thus, if the demand remains near current levels, the occupational fatality rate would be expected to remain high unless some interventions are undertaken.
The purpose of this project was to determine what factors contribute to the elevated injury fatality rate in the O&G industry and to consult with workers and industry partners to develop products that address those factors.
*North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) 211, 213111, 213112 comprise Oil and Gas Extraction. Current Population Survey (CPS) data are not available for detailed 213xxx, so employment is estimated as 211xxx plus 95% of those in 213xxx based on detailed data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.
The authors analyzed the Census of Fatal Occupational Injury (CFOI) data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the leading causes of fatal injury and to identify risk factors for these deaths. To better understand the reasons why injuries occur, research staff conducted site visits with O&G workers in three states (CO, NM and TX). The information learned during these site visits was incorporated into the development of safety products. This project models the approach described in the NIOSH report Tell me a Story5, which found workers sharing safety messages with other workers to be an effective communication strategy.
The most common causes of occupational fatalities among O&G workers were transportation incidents (38%), contact with tools or machinery (30%), fires and explosions (16%), exposure to harmful substances or environments (8%), falls (7%), and other events (1%) (Figure 2). Fatalities from many of these events can be either prevented or mitigated through the proper use of personal protection equipment (PPE). The two events that were selected for this project were highway motor vehicle crashes and falls, which combined resulted in 35% of the fatalities in this industry during 2003-2006.
Risk Factors-MVCs Previous analyses of CFOI data found that three out of every four motor vehicle deaths occurred to workers operating either light trucks (pickups, delivery trucks) or heavy trucks (semi-tractor trailers). Further analysis revealed that over a third of the O&G workers who died while traveling in light or heavy trucks did not wear a seat belt (42%) and another 7 (11%) were ejected upon impact, and likely were not wearing one.
Risk Factors-Falls OSHA reports for 2000-2006 indicate that most fatal or serious injuries from falls in O&G resulted from improperly worn or a complete lack of fall protection. In some (18%) instances it was noted that the worker was wearing a fall harness but at the time of the incident was not properly "tied off" or connected to fall protection.
Product Development Based on these data, researchers decided to focus on encouraging the use of two available and easy-to-use products (seat belts and fall protection). Utilizing input received from workers during our site visits, we focused on creating videos for use in pre-shift safety meetings. The videos, based on the NIOSH Tell me a Story report (No. 2005-152), are short and use workers as mentors for dispelling common myths and emphasizing the importance of 100% PPE use.
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| Specialized trucks used to stimulate well production | View looking up Drilling Rig Derrick |
The activity in this industry has grown in recent years, resulting in an increase in employment and an increase in fatal injuries. This project identified risk factors for the most common fatal injury events in the O&G industry and developed safety materials to address these factors. The authors' analysis of data found that many of the O&G workers that died on the job were not using PPE. This information was used to develop two short videos that describe the importance and the benefits of 100% seat belt and fall protection use in the O&G industry. To maximize their impact, these videos include O&G workers who share their experiences and stories.
NIOSH researchers will evaluate this project by:
The findings and conclusions in this poster are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Citations to Web sites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these Web sites.
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