This paper reviews the principal health and safety hazards in the oil and gas industry with focus on unconventional gas and oil extraction activities. Risks include exposure to hydrogen sulfide, silica, hazardous chemicals, extreme temperature and fatigue, vehicle/transportation incidents, explosions and fires, falls, confined spaces, and risk of being struck-by/caught-in/ caught-between perilous objects. This discussion is accompanied by occupational health and safety statistics, description of hazards and the creation and implementation of a health and safety culture as a mean to mitigate (if not eliminate) harmful conditions.

Keywords:
US government, Hydrogen Sulfide, extreme temperature, Workplace Hazard, fatal work injury, exposure limit, Upstream Oil & Gas, exposure, silica, explosion
Subjects:
Health, Safety, Environment, Strategic Planning and Management, Noise, chemicals, and other workplace hazards, Naturally occurring radioactive materials, Benchmarking and performance indicators
Copyright 2014, Society of Petroleum Engineers
You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.