Keep Yourself Safe While Working in an Oilfield Industry

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An Oilfield industry is an industry that needs extra care in terms of safety, mainly due to the involvement of transportation of heavy equipment and driving heavy vehicles. Being an oilfield, oil spills, grease, sludge, dirt, etc. are very commonly found here, thus making it riskier to work.

Moreover, while working in an oilfield, transportation cannot be avoided as transporting heavy vehicles and equipment are an essential part of the oilfield industry. Unfortunately, truck and vehicle drivers of the oilfield industry are subject to more injuries than any other worker.

To avoid other workplace accidents, proper maintenance of the equipment and vehicles are necessary. In addition to the equipment and vehicle maintenance, cleaning of the rig is also vital for a safe working environment. Hence, many oilfield companies provide services related to washing, cleaning, and maintaining oil rigs, equipment, vehicles, and every other machinery available there.

Why So Many Accidents?

Untrained Drivers

The oilfield industry saves a good amount of money by hiring unskilled workers and neglecting driver safety training and practices. This ‘saving’ may lead to a preventable, yet fatal accident.

When drivers are not provided with proper training and procedure, they lack knowledge of loading and unloading of cargo, proper truck checkups (basic), and other tasks.

Lack of proper training and experience may lead to severe damage to the workers, as well as to the company.

Substandard Vehicle Maintenance

Many oilfield companies cut costs by waiting a long time for scheduling truck repairs and maintenance. They tend to neglect that normal wear and tear may become bigger issues if not handled promptly.

Due to improper maintenance, drivers need to carry heavy machines or flammable materials on different terrains risking their lives with bad condition trucks.

Safety Tips for Avoiding Accidents

Whether you are a worker working in the oilfield or own one, some safety measures can be adopted to avoid any accident or injury. The truck drivers working for the oilfield industry need to take extra care in taking security measures.

Stay Always Alert

Save yourself from getting distracted while driving. You should always stay alert of who’s driving beside you while keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. A difficult task but a must. Frequent breaks are also necessary for stretching and a quick checkup of your truck and the load.

Also as a worker working in the oilfield, you need to be well aware of all the machinery and the equipment around you with knowledge of their working.

Adequate Sleep

To drive safely, it is necessary to take care of your body, so that you can take immediate action in case of any emergency. Hence, to avoid any accidents it is crucial to sleep for about 5-6 hours comfortably.

Know Your Origin and the Destination

While working in the oilfield industry, you need to be mindful of your workplace. What equipment or machinery is located where and how do they operate, along with what vehicles are parked where; should be well answerable by you.

As a truck driver working with an Oilfield, you should be well aware of the surroundings of the origin of your journey as well as your destination. Stay cautious while loading and unloading your cargo like applying power breaks, etc. as many accidents happen while doing this.

Planning Ahead

As a truck driver, you should stay updated with the weather condition, your truck’s working condition, traffic alerts, etc., before starting the journey. Along with this, you should also take care of your sleeping and eating schedule to keep the fatigue away while driving.

All the companies providing oilfield services should take all the safety measures in order to protect their workers and employees from any accidents or injuries.