Oil Rig Safety Training

Drilling for oil and gas can be dangerous and result in the loss of life and harm to the environment. Despite this catastrophe, Business Insider doesn't list work in the oilfield as one of the 15 most dangerous U.S. occupations. A major reason for this is the safety training given to workers.

Basic Training

As a new hire, an oilfield worker will be required by the IADC (International Association of Drilling Contractors) to take an accredited HSE (Health, Safety & Environment) Rig Pass course. The course covers the entire scope of conditions a worker will encounter while drilling for oil or gas.

Advanced Safety Training

After passing the HSE Rig Pass course, workers receive certified trainings that are often required to be renewed every one or two years in such things as blood-borne pathogens (for first responders dealing with an open-wound injury) or Hazmat (a course concentrating on hazardous materials).

Specialized Situations

Oil and gas production often happens in remote regions and requires special courses to handle specific situations. Offshore oil workers receive water survival instruction, for example. Workers in Algeria, where summer temperatures are routinely in the 130-degree range, must learn to work in the heat of the desert safely.

References

• Business Insider: The 15 Most Dangerous Jobs in America
• Occupational Health & Safety Administration: Oil and Gas Well Drilling
• Occu-Safe: Occupational Safety Training

Resources

• Careers in the Oil & Gas Industry