Working On Offshore Can Be Dangerous
One of the most dangerous careers and hazardous professions both physically and mentally is working on an offshore oil and gas platform, because of the isolation, the extreme weather conditions, the location conditions and the operating of heavy machinery and equipment for hours at a time that can cause high risk of injuries and death. If something goes wrong on an offshore location, the results can be disastrous. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its report recommends that “employers should ensure that the most stringent applicable transportation safety guidelines are followed.”
According to the UK Health and Safety Executive – (HSE), several divisions are taken as the most dangerous offshore jobs where most accidents and injuries occur, such as:
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- Deck Operations: There were around 39 incidents recorded from 2012 to 2014
- Management and Accommodation: There were 43 death from 2013 to 2015
- Oil and Gas: There were 56 incidents in 2014
- Maintenance and Construction: There were 76 recorded injuries in this sector from 2014 to 2015
- Drilling and Production: From 2014 to 2015, 19 incidents were recorded offshore UK and there is no evidence that current drilling safety measures are protecting drill operators
In most of these divisions, the heavy machinery and the high speed of the equipment used are a constant source of potential hazard. Oil and gas leaks that have led to major explosions, as in the case of Piper Alpha and Deepwater Horizon, are particularly lethal and devastate the local marine environment.
Safety should always be the number one concern of both employers and employees when working offshore. When safety becomes a secondary thought, serious accidents, injuries and even death can occur.
Continue reading “Safety & Survival in the Offshore Industry”
