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Worker & Worksite Safety Resources

Safety is and will always be the industry’s primary focus, and the workers who serve on the front lines of our operations play an essential role in ensuring safe work practices and preventing workplace incidents.  Each worker at a worksite has a duty to work in a safe manner and must make safety a part of each and every task.

OSHA Safe + Sound Week

Every year, API takes part in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Safe + Sound Week, highlighting API standards, recommended practices, and other programs that enhance workplace safety. During this week, API makes many of these documents available for free on www.APILearning.org.

The industry takes many steps to emphasize the importance of worker safety and to continuously improve safety practices within its operations.  The natural gas and oil industry has an impressive and ever-improving record of reducing incidence of injury and illness in workplaces across the country. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report, the injury and illness rate for the U.S. natural gas and oil industry fell by 45 percent from 2006 to 2015 – even as thousands of new jobs were added – and it remains well below the national average for the entire U.S. private sector.

 

Each worksite is unique and safety measures need to be site and job specific.  Individual companies employ industrial hygienists and safety professionals to prepare site-specific job safety assessments (JSA) before work begins.  They are tasked with communicating potential work hazards, ensuring their workers are properly trained and stressing the awareness of safety within their organizations. 

As part of the oil and gas industry, you have a personal responsibility to assure the safety of yourself and those around you.  Safety and safe practices should always be forefront when carrying out your job functions.

API Rules to Live By

API’s Rules to Live By cover the most critical safety hazards that have caused worker loss of life within the industry.  They are intended as simple, concise reminders to workers and supervisors of what the rules are, why they are so important and what steps can be taken to mitigate these hazards.

API Occupational Safety and Health Standards

API is the worldwide leading standards setting body for the oil and natural gas industry. In our on-going effort toward continuous improvement of oil and natural gas operations and building on existing API standards and practices pertaining to oil and gas extraction, API has developed the standards to assist the oil and gas industry in promoting personnel and public safety.

Oil and Gas Worker Training Opportunities

Understanding best safety practices and being trained in the tasks you are to perform prior to reaching the job site is essential to assure the safety of yourself and those around you.  As one of many training opportunities available, API WorkSafe provides convenient and affordable training for onshore oil and gas workers. WORK HARD. WORK SMART. WORK SAFE.

OSHA Alliance Program

As part of the OSHA Alliance Program, the OSHA, the natural gas and oil industry through the National Steps Network, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) work together to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses in the U.S. onshore E&P sector of the oil and gas industry. The goals of the Alliance include raising Awareness of OSHA’s rulemaking and enforcement initiatives, outreach and communication, and training and education.

Through this effort, this group has developed several hazard alerts for common risks within the industry to raise awareness and help to mitigate incidents:

API Pandemic Planning Guide

The oil and natural gas industry directly employs almost 2.6 million Americans and supports 9.8 million jobs in America or 5.6% of total U.S. employment. Therefore, it is critical that oil and natural gas companies are aware of and plan for the potential threats that could directly or indirectly impact their employees and operations.

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Be Aware: Report Suspicious Activity

Safety and security underpin activities throughout the oil and gas industry.

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Upstream Oil and Gas Hazard Information

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