Protecting Oil and Gas Workers from Hydrocarbon Gases and Vapors

Workers at oil and gas extraction sites could be exposed to hydrocarbon gases and vapors, oxygen-deficient atmospheres, and fires and explosions when they open tank hatches to manually gauge or collect fluid samples on production tanks. These exposures can have immediate health effects, including loss of consciousness and death. This video describes the hazards associated with manual gauging and fluid sampling on oil and gas production tanks and describes steps that employers and workers can take to do this work safely.