For a microcosm of the dangers of working in a U.S. oil field, look to Oklahoma.
Since October 2011 nine workers have died in oil and gas field accidents, according to a recent report by StateImpact. Those deaths coincide with the boom in domestic oil production.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/oklahoma/2012/08/02/the-human-toll-of-a-drilling-boom-in-oklahoma/
The rise in oil-field accidents has people concerned about safety in many of the states where oil drilling has blossomed, such as North Dakota. And in Oklahoma City in June, oil workers gathered to go over the fatal accidents at a confab sponsored by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the state Department of Labor and the Mid-Continent Exploration and Production and Safety Network, StateImpact reported.
The story noted that even though these oil workers, so-called roughnecks, are hard-nosed men, some of them had to “wipes away tears” when there was discussion of accidents where their friends were killed.
As Oklahoma’s OSHA director told StateImpact, oil-field gear is “big” and “it moves fast.” That means accidents often end in deaths.
The story also noted that there are few Oklahoma state safety regulations regarding the oil industry, and only five OSHA inspectors to cover the entire state.
There is a pattern in the Oklahoma oil field fatalities, according to StateImpact.
“The average worker killed is young — only 35,” it reported. “Their tenure at the company is often short — less than five years. Most of the men died after being crushed or struck by equipment, and most of the accidents happened at small drilling or service companies with less than 100 employees.”
The report by State Impact offers a thoughtful look at oil-drilling safety, and is well worth reading.