Citation

Blackley DJ, Retzer KD, Hubler WG, Hill RD, Laney AS. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2014; 57(10): 1188-1192.

Affiliation

Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia; Epidemic Intelligence Service, Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ajim.22356

PMID

25164118

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Occupational fatality rates among oil and gas extraction industry and specifically among drilling contractor workers are high compared to the U.S. all-industry average. There is scant literature focused on non-fatal injuries among drilling contractors, some of which have introduced engineering controls to improve rig efficiency and reduce injury risk.

METHODS: We compared injury rates on new and old technology rigs operated by the largest U.S. drilling contractor during 2003-2012, stratifying by job type and grouping outcomes by injury severity and body part affected.

RESULTS: Six hundred seventy-one injuries were recorded over 77.4 million person-hours. The rate on new rigs was 66% of that on old rigs. Roughnecks had lower injury rates on new rigs, largely through reduced limb injury rates. New rigs had lower rates in each non-fatal injury severity category.

CONCLUSIONS: For this company, new technology rigs appear to provide a safer environment for roughnecks. Future studies could include data from additional companies. Am. J. Ind. Med. 9999:1-5, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en