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Every day, energy employees face hazardous situations. These are the most hazardous occupations in the country. According to OSHA, the energy sector employs more than 450,000 people in extraction and support — that’s a lot of folks who put themselves in danger to keep our energy systems running. Furthermore, OSHA claims that oil and gas workers have the most fall-related injuries, with a rate of 148.9 severe injuries per 100,000 employees.
What are some things we can do to make work sites safer?
Ladder precautions
Oil rigs can be a dangerous place to work. Slippery stairs are caused by a variety of factors, including oil, grease, dampness, and trash.
According to OSHA guidelines, employers must safeguard their employees’ health in both general industry and construction sectors at four feet or higher. The further up these oil ladder mountains we go the greater chance there is falling off so extra care must always be taken when climbing.
OSHA requires that employers provide each employee with personal fall protection equipment, such as safety harnesses and lifelines, that meets OSHA fall protection regulations. All employees must be taught how to use their tools and have access to continuing education. Finally, employees must use their fall protection system while climbing or descending ladders, despite how time-consuming it may appear.
Sometimes accidents happen, but PPE can help prevent them. There are necessary items to protect your workers in any situation so that they can feel safe. Some examples of PPE for ladder use are:
- Safety harnesses: When working on oil platforms, employees should use full-body, safety harnesses with D rings.
- Anchors: OSHA requires that this equipment must support a minimum 5,000-pound weight.
- Positioning and restraint lanyards: Workers are unable to reach the upper edge of these lanyards, which helps to keep them safe.
- Connectors: A connector connects the body harness to an anchor point. Self-retracting lifelines and shock-absorbing lanyards are two common types of connectors.
Worker fatigue hazards
Oil rig workers, like their coal or nuclear counterparts, may work up to 16 hours a day. Long shifts such as these can cause tiredness. Even if shifts are shorter, the strenuous nature of the work may still leave a worker exhausted.
Fatigue is the body’s warning that a rest period is required. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, long job hours and frequent and irregular shifts may be taxing. Even using the wrong tools will take a toll on workers stamina.
The body’s circadian rhythm is a sleep/wake cycle. It has been naturally timed to go asleep during the night. Demanding job conditions may cause the body’s natural pattern to be disrupted.
Examining staffing issues, such as workload or hours, can help to minimize the negative impact of fatigue on an employee’s performance and well-being. By arranging schedules for frequent opportunity rests while also ensuring that employees get enough rest at night, an employer can prevent fatigue risks. They may also educate people on how exhausting activities influence their health.
A personal fall arrest system
A personal fall arrest system is a device that is used to catch an employee who falls from a working height. An anchor, connections, a body belt or body harness, and possibly a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or other related accessories are all part of this.
A personal fall arrest system may be used to safeguard a single individual who is at risk of falling. Workers must ensure that their fall protection clothing is correctly put on and that they are bound to a secure anchor point at all times. Using a self-retracting lifeline rather than a regular lanyard to secure the anchor line will keep it spooled, preventing tripping hazards if others are working nearby.
A full-body harness is necessary for fall arrest. Fall protection safety harnesses distribute the impact of a fall across the thighs and buttocks.
Personal fall arrest protection is no longer allowed with safety belts (waist belts). They can inflict significant damage on internal organs such as the spleen and pancreas in a fall arrest.
Lanyards connect the harness to an anchor, such as a rope grab or a horizontal static line. Lanyards should be made of rope or synthetic web fabric designed for this purpose.
Shock absorption is strongly suggested for lanyards with elastic tensioners. Never tie knots in a lanyard to shorten it. A lanyard must not be tied around an object and then retied to itself unless authorized by the manufacturer.
Falling objects and equipment
Fall protection is a must for any trade. If you are working with tools or machinery, it pays to be safe and stay aware of your surroundings. There’s nothing worse than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Falling equipment can cause life-threatening injuries. Luckily there’s plenty of precautions that will help keep workers out of harm’s way.
OSHA has a few requirements for the guardrail. You must make sure that fall hazards are addressed, and they cannot be more than 48 inches high above your walking surface or lower depending on where you live.
There should also not be any objects standing underneath the rail because this can cause injuries if someone trips over them while walking along its side without protection. To ensure safety during construction please follow manufacturer installation instructions carefully – these will help prevent errors that could lead to injury-causing disasters.
While the oil sector may include higher risks, your workers can still feel secure and protected while carrying out their tasks. Having the right personal fall prevention measures in place can go a long way toward keeping your workers satisfied and safe.
OSHA requires employers to provide fall protection for employees working at heights. Finally, prioritizing rest and recuperation keeps fatigue-related blunders at bay. When your employees understand the hazards of working on the job, it’s up to you to ensure that they aren’t harmed.