• Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • (432) 362-8800
  • Contact
InSource Insurance Group
  • Our Services
    • Types of Insurance
      • Commercial Auto
      • Commercial Property
      • Cyber Insurance
      • Employment Practices Liability
      • General Liability
      • Inland Marine
      • Motor Truck Cargo Coverage
      • Pollution Liability
      • Professional Liability
      • Umbrella and Excess
    • Employee Benefits
      • Group Medical
      • Dental Insurance
      • Vision Insurance
      • Life Insurance
      • Long-Term Disability
      • Short-Term Disability
      • Executive – Key Man
    • Property and Casualty Insurance
      • Boiler and Machinery
      • Builder’s Risk
      • Commercial Insurance
      • Business Owners’ Policy
      • Workers’ Compensation
      • Energy Insurance
      • Personal Insurance
    • Insurance for the Oil and Gas Industry
      • Control of Well
      • Oil and Gas Lease Property (OLP)
      • Rig and Hull Insurance
      • Riggers Insurance
    • Surety Bonds
      • Oil and Gas Bonds
      • Bid Bonds
      • Other Surety Bonds
    • Risk Control Services
      • Health, Safety and Environmental
      • Safety Training
  • Testimonials
  • Industries
    • Construction Insurance
    • Manufacturing Insurance
    • Oil and Gas Insurance
  • About
    • Blog
    • Careers
    • Our Team
  • Locations
    • Odessa, Texas
    • Midland, Texas
    • DFW, TX
    • Tulsa, OK
  • Make A Payment
  • Menu Menu

How To Reduce Slip, Trip, and Fall Hazards in the Oil and Gas Industry

Slip, trip, and fall hazards are a leading cause of nonfatal and fatal injuries in the oil and gas industry. To protect employees and minimize workplace injuries, business owners should implement fall prevention strategies. Keep reading to learn about common fall hazards and the prevention methods you can use to offset risks.

Common Fall Hazards in the Oil and Gas Industry

There are many ways for oil and gas workers to injure themselves from a slip, trip, and fall hazard, and those injuries can range from minor to fatal. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that slips, trips, and falls caused 23.8% of nonfatal injuries in 2020, indicating that employers need to take steps to reduce these hazards.

Here are a few common slip, trip, and fall hazards that affect workers in the oil and gas industry.

Slipping on Oil and Water

Walkways and surfaces can get very slippery on an oil rig. Rain, snow, and leaks from oil and gas equipment can contribute to these slippery conditions and create a dangerous environment. Slip and fall accidents can cause broken bones, head injuries, cuts and bruises, muscle strains, and joint damage.

Falling From Ladders, Stairs, or Platforms

Employees in the oil and gas industry often have to work on an elevated platform, which puts them at risk for falls. These falls from stairs, ladders, and platforms are often fatal. Research from the CDC suggests that over 50% of fatalities in the oil and gas industry from 2005 to 2014 were caused by a fall of more than 30 feet. In 56% of these fatalities, workers were not using the required safety equipment.

Tripping on Objects in Walkways

When workers leave tools, equipment, cords, and supplies in walkways, other employees can trip on the objects and fall. Like slipping injuries, these can range from minor to severe. In 2020, workers took a median of 11 days away from work following a trip and same-level fall.

Fall Prevention Strategies

Slip, trip, and fall hazards may be common, but they’re largely preventable. With the right measures, you can reduce workplace injuries and create a safer environment for your employees.

Use the Right Oil and Gas Safety Equipment

Preventing slip, trip, and fall injuries begins with the proper safety equipment.

  • Slip-resistant footwear: All workers should wear slip-resistant footwear to prevent falls. While shoes can’t stop all falls, they can reduce slipping injuries during rainy or snowy weather and keep workers safe when there’s a leak.
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE), like hard hats and eye protection: If workers slip and fall, PPE can prevent injuries from becoming significant. Hard hats can shield workers from serious head injuries, and safety glasses protect the face and eyes during a fall.
  • Fall arrest systems: When oil and gas workers climb stairs and ladders and work on elevated surfaces, they should use personal fall prevention systems. These systems include a full-body harness and a self-retracting lanyard that attaches to an anchor point. During a fall, the self-retracting lanyard immediately stops letting out slack, which keeps workers suspended until another person can rescue them.
  • Non-slip mats and grating: In addition to keeping working areas free from tripping hazards, you should place non-slip mats and grating in areas that tend to get wet or slippery. However, these measures work best when you regularly remove excess liquid from walking surfaces, so maintenance is crucial.
  • Guardrails: In any area where a slip or trip is possible, oil and gas businesses should install guardrails to prevent falls.
    Signage: If there are any areas on the oil rig with large holes or fall hazards that are difficult to see, you should place signage alerting employees.

Does your oil and gas business need help complying with OSHA safety guidelines? Bring in the experts at InSource.

Our Risk Control Services

Add an Extra Level of Safety With Secondary Fall Protection

When employees begin working on an elevated platform, they should always use at least one fall prevention system. However, because fall risks are still present with one form of fall protection, you should require a secondary fall protection system—another self-retracting lanyard—to catch workers if the first one fails. This extra layer of protection can save workers from potentially fatal falls.

Perform Regular Maintenance

Conditions can change quickly on an oil rig. A walkway that was clear 15 minutes ago could get covered with slick oil after a leak, and a ladder could lose a rung. While inspecting the rig every few minutes might not be feasible, it’s important to perform regular maintenance.

Here are a few items and areas you should inspect for slip, trip, and fall hazards:

  • Walkways
  • Oil and gas equipment, which can leak if not maintained
  • Fall prevention systems, which can wear over time
  • Ladders
  • Guardrails
  • Non-slip mats
  • Steps
  • Platforms

If workers notice a hazard on the oil rig, you should take steps to remove it immediately. Promptly cleaning up spills, replacing broken equipment, and eliminating trip hazards can protect your workers and reduce your workers’ compensation claims.

Need Help Reducing Your Slip, Trip, and Fall Hazards?

Implementing fall reduction strategies is an effective way to reduce injuries and protect your employees. However, many companies don’t have the resources or expertise to create an effective safety plan. If you need an expert’s help reducing slip, trip, and fall hazards on your Texas oil rig, turn to InSource.

We’ve been helping Texas businesses reduce their risks for decades, and we specialize in insurance and risk management for the oil and gas industry. Whether you need safety consulting, a new insurance policy, or both, our experienced team members will find the best solutions for your business.

Contact our team today to learn more about our slip, trip, and fall hazard management and insurance for the oil and gas industry.

Share This Post

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail

Related Postings

Two colleagues in formal wear working together to optimize trading strategy at corporate finance fund

How To Protect Your Money From Inflation

risk control services
Read more
December 15, 2022
https://insourceins.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Two-colleagues-in-formal-wear-working-together-to-optimize-trading-strategy-at-corporate-finance-fund.jpg 1250 2000 AbstraktMarketing https://insourceins.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/InSource-Legacy-Logo-Lockup_InSource-Legacy-Lockup-Logo-Horizontal-300x113.png AbstraktMarketing2022-12-15 09:00:482022-12-22 11:02:44How To Protect Your Money From Inflation

What Are the Benefits of Riggers Liability Insurance?

oil and gas
Read more
September 15, 2022
https://insourceins.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Agent-man-presentation-and-consulting-car-insurance-detail-to-customer-and-waiting-for-his-reply-to-finish-1.jpg 1250 2000 Valeriia Mamleeva https://insourceins.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/InSource-Legacy-Logo-Lockup_InSource-Legacy-Lockup-Logo-Horizontal-300x113.png Valeriia Mamleeva2022-09-15 09:00:042022-12-22 10:53:33What Are the Benefits of Riggers Liability Insurance?

Combat the Great Resignation With Your Employee Benefits Package

Employee Benefits, oil and gas
Read more
August 23, 2022
https://insourceins.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/person-looking-at-insurance-documants.jpg 1250 2000 Valeriia Mamleeva https://insourceins.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/InSource-Legacy-Logo-Lockup_InSource-Legacy-Lockup-Logo-Horizontal-300x113.png Valeriia Mamleeva2022-08-23 09:00:532022-12-22 10:53:34Combat the Great Resignation With Your Employee Benefits Package

Categories

  • Cyber Insurance
  • Employee Benefits
  • Insurance
    • Life Insurance
    • Types of Insurance
    • Well Insurance
    • Workers Compensation
  • News
  • oil and gas
  • risk control services

Contact Us

"*" indicates required fields

Recent Blogs

  • Do You Need Pollution Insurance?
  • What Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cover?
  • How To Protect Your Money From Inflation

Get In Touch

Phone:
(432) 362-8800 – Odessa, TX
(432) 682-2333 – Midland, TX

(432) 271-5550 – Big Spring, TX
(682) 498-8370 – Granbury, TX
(806) 702-4999 – Lubbock, TX
(918) 984-1110 – Tulsa, OK

Office Addresses:
5108 Wayland Dr.
Odessa, TX 79762

901 W. Wall St. Suite 200
Midland, TX 79701

Services

Types Of Insurance

Employee Benefits

Property & Casualty Insurance

Insurance for Oil & Gas Industry

Surety Bonds

Risk Control Services

Website by Abstrakt Marketing Group © 2022 - powered by Enfold WordPress Theme
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Labor Shortages are increasing Business Liability RisksYour Guide to Oil Rig Insurance Coverage
Scroll to top

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

OKLearn more

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Accept settingsHide notification only