When employees work in dangerous and harsh environments, it’s crucial to understand there are ways you can improve the safety of oilfield rigs. Minor mistakes can lead to horrific, even fatal, accidents. These are ideas you shouldn’t sleep on.
Workers’ Mental Health Matters
Oilfield rig workers spend weeks and months away from their families. This time is taxing on anyone’s mind and can negatively impact their working conditions. Everyone reacts to this differently. Some can become depressed and feel helpless, and others can begin to display rebellious behavior when they typically follow the rules.
No work environment should be toxic. Give your employees time away to spend time with their families. Take time to listen to their issues and monitor their mental health. These ideas will help create a safe work environment with fewer accidents.
Maintenance Is a Must
No employee wants a machine on an oilfield rig to fail prematurely; these machines are the lifeline of the workers. Regular maintenance should be an automatic thing. Educate all your employees on the importance of a maintenance checklist and how to handle machines correctly.
Provide Proper Lighting
LED lighting is the way to go in oilfield operations. The brightness will help improve visibility for employees. The heightened illumination means objects and obstacles can’t hide in the dark. Workers will be able to work efficiently through the night with increased alertness, energy, and improved mood.
LED lights don’t expose employees to hazardous materials and don’t burn out as often. Thus, less time is spent changing bulbs and mercury exposure from traditional lighting.
Have a Safety Plan in Place
Improper machine usage and lack of maintenance can potentially lead to fatal accidents. Properly caring for machines is the first step in the safety plan. You should also have a strategic local emergency response plan in place as part of the safety plan. Employees need to know exactly what to do when issues arise in the oilfield. It could mean the difference between life and death for a worker.
The nature of the work is challenging on an oilfield rig. This line of work is dangerous. Understanding the above ways will help improve safety on the rig and implement improved ideas to keep workers safe.
