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Petro-Explosions Are One Reason to Improve Your Work Site's Safety

Posted on Jun 15, 2010

The oil spill that is causing concern and outrage throughout the country is also a key reason why you need to consider how your workplace safety is handled by your boss. 11 workers died on the Deepwater Horizon when a blowout valve malfunctioned and the rig exploded in April. More recently, seven workers who work on natural gas extraction in West Virginia were injured and the resulting fire left a 50-foot flare.

As noted in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the natural gas drilling company, Chief Oil & Gas LLC, has been cited nearly 30 times for workplace safety issues by OSHA. BP plc also has a history of numerous workplace safety concerns.

While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidelines for workers who are now in the Gulf cleaning up the oil in the water and as it approaches, it doesn't help the injured workers or those who lost their lives. That's why it is critical to learn more about what the rules are for your industry. Construction-based injuries need to be treated immediately, and there should always be a first aid coordinator or someone with training in order to respond immediately.

In the case of the West Virginia explosion, the drilling team went through a pocket of methane, the flammable gas that has a striking odor. But the fact that some sort of ignition set off the inferno is a similar fear for any of those who do their work underground or near buried power lines. Be mindful of the OSHA tip; you have the right to work in a safe environment and not be fearful of workplace safety issues that could leave you injured, maimed or worse. Know your OSHA workplace rights.