Over the last two decades, Outer Co

Over the last two decades, Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) production technology has advanced considerably while federal regulations governing OCS production have remained relatively unchanged. In an attempt to modernize OCS production safety rules, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has proposed revisions to the Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems (OGPSS) rules and the best available and safest technology (BAST) rule.

The importance of effective health and safety training in the oil and gas industry is highlighted by extensively reported examples of major process safety incidents including the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, the Buncefield oil storage depot explosion (2005), the 1988 Piper Alpha oil platform explosion (both occurring in the UK) and the BP Texas Refinery explosion (USA) in 2005.

Over 450,000 workers were employed in the oil and gas extraction and support industries in 2011. These workers are engaged in many different industrial processes needed to successfully drill and service a well. These processes frequently require the use of specialized equipment and specialized work crews.

From 2003 to 2010, 823 oil and gas extraction workers were killed on the job–a fatality rate seven times greater than the rate for all industries. This database also reports similar fatality rates since at least the early 1990s. Safety and health hazards and dangerous conditions that can result in fatalities for oil and gas workers include:

Vehicle Accidents
Struck-By/ Caught-In/ Caught-Between
Explosions and Fires
Falls
Confined Spaces
Chemical Exposures

Employers must protect the safety and health of workers involved in oil and gas operations according to General industry Standards.

Proper emergency response is vital in ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of our offshore workforce. In 2008, industry representatives gathered to explore how well companies were equipped to cope in case of an offshore emergency, consider the latest escape, evacuation and rescue arrangements and examine how all relevant agencies work together during the time of an incident.

Medical professionals (medics) working offshore on installations and vessels are primarily responsible for the medical care of the workers. The medics have clinics with suitable medical equipment for managing emergencies as well as providing limited primary care. Some countries have legislation that stipulate minimum requirements. Supervision of the offshore medics is often provided by doctors on shore via radio and phone links.

The challenges of medical emergency provision offshore include ensuring: adequate number of competent medically trained personnel; availability of correct equipment in good condition; and effective plans to manage such medical emergencies. The company MER standards provide guidance on how to meet these challenges.