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>> Oil and natural gas extraction workers are an essential part of this country's workforce. A critical step in the supply chain is the transfer of oil, gas and other fluids from wells to other locations for processing. Truck drivers are typically the workers responsible for transferring these processed fluids, including waste water, flowback, condensate and crude oil. Depending on the work practices and controls, workers can be at risk for exposure to hazardous gases and vapors, oxygen deficiencies, fires or explosions, vehicle incidence and heat stress. Drivers are often alone onsite to transfer fluids, making it difficult to get help if needed. This video explains the hazards involved in fluid transfers and provides employers and workers with information to protect themselves so that they can get home to their families at the end of each day. During 2016 to 2020 at least 12 workers died while transferring fluids at well sites. These workers died from cardiac events, combustion-related explosions being struck by a vehicle, hydrogen sulfide exposure and heat stroke. The hazards and risks involved in fluid transfers are real. As the previous incidents have shown, workers have died while handling processed fluids. So what is a workplace hazard? A hazard is something that has the potential to cause harm, including injury, illness or even death. Hazards are present in every workplace, but most can be controlled. During fluid transfers, flammable atmospheres, exposures to hydrocarbons, low oxygen and hydrogen sulfide are all hazards. And what is a workplace risk? Risk is the chance of harm resulting from being exposed to a hazard. The important message is this, you may encounter a workplace hazard or even multiple hazards, but if the employer removes or controls them, so you are not exposed to the hazards, then there's no risk of harm. However, if there are hazards and they aren't removed or controlled, then at some point you may be exposed to the hazard and could be injured or even die. Workers can encounter several hazards when offloading or transferring hydrocarbon liquids from storage tanks to trucks. These hazards include inhalation of chemicals including hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide, creation of oxygen-deficient atmospheres, potential for fires and explosions. Exposure to these hazards can result in injury, hospitalization, short and long-term health effects or even death. The source of these hazards includes the transfer of any process fluid, including crude oil, condensate, flowback fluids, produced water, brines, and basic sediment in water or BS&W. It is important to remember that produced water is not just water. When processed fluids are transferred, especially if the tank is under pressure, hydrocarbon gas and vapors can escape presenting a risk for worker exposures. The plume of gas and vapors can surround a worker resulting in an atmosphere that may be toxic, oxygen-deficient or flammable, and can even be immediately dangerous to life and health. Here an infrared camera allows us to see a gas and vapor plume which is otherwise invisible to workers. This worker is offloading tanks at a well site, and he is engulfed in the vapor plume because he did not run a vent line from the truck. This worker was exposed to a fire and explosion hazard, a toxic gas hazard, and an oxygen-deficiency hazard. These exposures can affect his eyes, lungs, central nervous system, and can cause his heart to have abnormal rhythms resulting in dizziness, disorientation, loss of consciousness, and even sudden cardiac arrest. It's important to remember that all processed fluids are potentially hazardous. This is because they are toxic. In some cases, life threatening concentrations of gas and vapors can be released. They are flammable and they are asphixiants. They displace oxygen and can collect in low-lying areas and confined spaces. And they can migrate. The hazards of fluid transfer and disposal are known, understood, and preventable. So how do we prevent health and safety risks to oil and gas workers? The hierarchy of controls is a well-accepted system to eliminate or reduce occupational safety and health risks. The idea behind this hierarchy is that the control methods at the top of the graphic are known to be more effective and protective to the worker than those at the bottom. During fluid transfers, eliminating or substituting the hazardous fluid is not always possible. So the use of engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment, are the main prevention steps used to protect oil and gas workers when they transfer fluids. Engineering controls are intended to reduce or control the hazard at the source before it comes into contact with the worker. Proper venting or vapor recovery are engineering controls used by truck operators to safely vent or contain processed fluid vapors away from the worker. To accomplish this, workers should use a Vapor Recovery Unit or VRU if available. Know the wind direction and locate trucks upwind of vapor sources to prevent engine acceleration or run-away. If available, open a pressure release valve for atmospheric-stack venting on point sources, such as tanks. Attach a vent line to dissipate vapors from ignition sources, personnel or other potential hazards. Be aware that vapors may reach flammable range during periods of low flows, typically in the final few minutes of loading. If multi-gas monitor alarms go off at any time, workers should immediately exit to a safe area. Bonding, grounding and the use of conductive hoses are additional engineering controls that can be used when transferring processed fluids. It's important to use conductive hose and closed connections for fluid transfers. Use connectors for bonding and grounding, such as copper wire and clamps. To ensure the connectors, provide a good conductive path, remove any dirt or debris from the couplings. Use flexible connectors where there is vibration or continuous movement. Connect metal to metal. Only disconnect bonds or grounds once all transfer operations have stopped and suction nozzle, hose or tube is withdrawn from the source, receiving tank or container. Vacuum truck owners should establish a schedule for inspecting and testing the electrical continuity of grounding and bonding. See American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 2219 for more information on the safe operation of vacuum trucks in petroleum service. Two important administrative controls are worker training and policies and procedures. To keep workers safe, employers should conduct hazard assessments and determine necessary controls to protect workers. Then develop a job safety and health analysis for processed fluids, transfers and loading. Communicate workplace hazards, risks and controls in a language that workers understand to both offsite contractors and onsite workers through hazard awareness training. Train vacuum truck operators in standard operating procedures and controls. They can minimize risks for exposure or injury. See API, and OSHA regulation for more information. Additionally, train workers in the proper use of personal multi-gas monitors and know their limitations and servicing requirements. This includes how to confirm the monitors are functioning properly, the units are placed within the workers breathing zone and that the unit has been properly calibrated and tested for lower explosive limit, oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide. If multi-gas monitor alarms go off at any time, workers should immediately exit to a safe area. Personal protective equipment or PPE has been proven to be less effective than other controls and thus is used as a last line of defense. PPE is chosen depending on the hazard and risk that is identified by the employer and may include flame-resistant clothing, protective eyewear, boots and gloves. When respiratory protection is used, a self-contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA, is the most protective respirator against hydrocarbon gases and vapors. Oil and processed fluids can be transferred and transported safely and with minimal risks. But to do so, employers and workers must understand the hazards, know the risks, and be able to apply the appropriate controls under the appropriate circumstances, to control the hazards and mitigate the risks involved. Doing so, each time will save lives.

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