Oil & Gas

Washington – The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has issued a safety alert in response to two offshore incidents involving the use of a hydraulic pulling unit, or hydraulic casing jack.

Sacramento – California’s Department of Industrial Relations, together with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the California Environmental Protection Agency, on July 14 published regulatory amendments intended to bolster safety for the state’s refinery workers and communities.

Washington – Thomas M. Galassi, director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, on May 11 sent a memorandum to regional administrators regarding the Process Safety Management Standard’s recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices requirements, also known as RAGAGEP.

Washington – A series of physical, operational and organizational failures preceded the April 2010 explosion and fire that killed 11 workers and injured dozens more on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a recent report from the Chemical Safety Board.

Washington – Oil and gas exploration employers need to “step up” protection for workers at their sites, a new OSHA-backed campaign urges.

Atlanta – Safety and health professionals “need to recognize and act on nonfatal warning signs and symptoms” to protect oil and gas workers in hydrocarbon storage tanks, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Washington – The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has initiated a pilot program in an effort to improve safety at offshore oil and gas operations.

Washington – In-vehicle monitoring systems combined with supervisory coaching could help reduce risky driving behaviors among workers in the oil and gas industry, in which motor vehicle-related incidents are the leading cause of death, according to NIOSH.

Washington – After months of delays, Chemical Safety Board members approved the agency’s final investigation report on a 2009 Caribbean Petroleum refinery explosion that injured three people and damaged about 300 homes near San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A recent downturn in the oil and gas industry has created challenges for safety professionals. How can they keep workers safe amid more stress and fewer resources?