Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for Oil and Gas Personnel

From 2003 to 2010, 825 oil and gas extraction workers were killed on the job – a fatality rate seven times greater than the rate for all U.S. industries. Workers in the oil and gas industry face a wide variety of hazards in their daily job duties. Oil and gas products and chemicals can be irritating, corrosive, flammable, and worse.

To help prevent workers from coming into contact with these hazards, employers provide them with personal protective equipment (PPE). On oil and gas sites, required PPE usually includes:

• Eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Hand and foot protection
• Flame-resistant clothing (FRC)

Many workers are also required to wear portable monitors that detect hydrogen sulfide (H2S) or other gases.

Hazards Unique to the Oil and Gas Industry

Oil and gas wells can expose workers to H2S gas. If your workplace uses sand for any process, such as hydraulic fracturing, workers may be exposed to crystalline silica. Crystalline silica is a known lung carcinogen and can cause silicosis, which can be debilitating and even fatal.

Oil and gas related flash fires can reach up to 1900 degrees Fahrenheit and last up to five seconds. These fires usually occur in well drilling, servicing, and production-related operation. Fortunately, many different PPE types are available to protect against these hazards.

Head, Face, and Eye PPE

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide workers with eye protection if their job exposes them to flying particles such as:

• Molten metal
• Hazardous, acidic, or caustic liquids
• Gases
• Vapors
• Potentially harmful light radiation

Safety glasses with side shields are effective at protecting against flying objects. Impermeable goggles can be worn while working around liquid, gas, or vapor hazards. Face shields can protect the entire face from both flying objects and chemicals. Face shields aren’t a replacement for goggles or safety glasses because they don’t protect the eyes as well.

Welders use special filtered helmets to protect their eyes from radiant light, sparks, flying particles, and glare.

If falling objects, overhead electrical hazards, or fixed objects workers could bump into are a danger, head protection is required. All classes of hard hats provide impact and penetration protection.

• Class G hard hats protect up to 2,200 volts of electricity.
• Class E hard hats protect up to 20,000 volts.
• Class C hard hats provide no electrical protection, so they aren’t usually worn on
  oil and gas sites.

Body PPE

Gloves

OSHA recommends employers and employees choose gloves based on the employee’s job duties, work environment, and the performance and construction characteristics of glove materials.

Leather, canvas, and fabric gloves can protect hands from:

• Dirt
• Splinters
• Abrasions
• Cuts
• Heat

They can’t fully protect against:

• Liquids
• Strong chemicals

Neoprene, nitrile, vinyl, and rubber gloves can protect against liquid and chemical hazards, but each material is only rated to protect against certain types of chemicals. Many of these glove types are intended for a single use and are vulnerable to tears.

Specialty gloves can be worn to protect against crushing injuries, heavy vibrations, and situations where multiple hazards are present.

Safety Boots

Workers may:

• Step on sharp objects
• Have their feet crushed by heavy objects
• Be exposed to excessive heat or cold
• Be exposed to slip, trip, and fall hazards

Depending on their work site job duties, workers may also be susceptible to electrical hazards, caustic chemicals and acids, and even molten metal.

Safety boots with steel or impact-resistant toes are common and should have slip-resistant soles with a strong grip. Boots made of neoprene or nitrile can protect against chemicals or petroleum products. Insulated rubber boots help protect against electric shock.

For welders, leather leggings can be worn above or over boots to protect from sparks and molten metal.

Respiratory PPE

If a workplace has unsafe atmospheric conditions, employers must provide employees with respirators. Before wearing a respirator, all employees must undergo a medical examination and fit test to ensure they can safely use one. All employees must receive extensive training on their respirator, including how to maintain and inspect it, before using it in the workplace. Air-purifying respirators have cartridges designed to filter airborne particles and/or chemicals, such as organic vapors or acid gases.

In circumstances where the air cannot be made safe through filtering, such as in oxygen-deficient atmospheres, atmosphere-supply respirators can provide clean breathing air from a tank or generator.

A wide variety of PPE is available on the market, but it only works if employees are adequately trained on when, how, and why to effectively use it.

Additional Resources

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) training bundle
• Oil and gas PPE courses