Oil & Gas

Washington – Contending that it lacks proper regulatory authority, the Chemical Safety Board on Nov. 14 voted to withdraw its recommendations issued to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement after its investigation into the April 2010 explosion and fire that killed 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

Washington – The Chemical Safety Board has released a video on last year’s ExxonMobil refinery fire, which severely burned four workers in Baton Rouge, LA.

Durham, NC – Workers exposed to oil dispersants during cleanup of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster are likely to experience respiratory issues and other health problems, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health.

Washington – The Chemical Safety Board released a set of recommendations Sept. 18 after its investigation into last year’s ExxonMobil refinery fire, which severely burned four workers in Baton Rouge, LA.

Washington – OSHA has published a guide intended to help oil refineries comply with the agency’s Process Safety Management Standard (1910.119).

Washington – NIOSH and the California Department of Public Health have collaborated on a video intended to protect oil and gas extraction workers from deadly hazards linked to manual gauging and fluid sampling on production tanks.

Washington – Responding to ongoing damage in the Gulf Coast region caused by Hurricane Harvey, the Chemical Safety Board has issued a safety alert warning oil and chemical facility workers to follow special precautions when restarting in the wake of the storm.

Sacramento, CA – The California Department of Industrial Relations and the California Environmental Protection Agency have approved final regulations intended to improve hazard prevention and management at the state’s 15 oil refineries.

Boulder, CO – Researchers are calling on Colorado to require reporting of all fires and explosions in the state’s oil and gas industry, after an analysis showed an incident rate significantly lower than that of neighboring Utah, where reporting is mandatory.

Washington – In an effort to prevent fatalities stemming from the ignition of vapors by vehicles and motorized equipment in the oil and gas industry, OSHA; NIOSH; and the National Service, Transmission, Exploration & Production Safety Network have partnered on a hazard alert.