Fatal and Nonfatal Occupational Injuries Essay

In this essay I will talk and compare the fatal and nonfatal injuries in the
petroleum industry, and give an example of each of them, and will
conclude with the importance of the prevention and safety.
Much of the time the less frequent news are when disasters strike
around the world, as in the explosion and fire occurred at a gas plant
Pemex Exploration and Production (PEP) in 2012, and previous incidents
such as the Clearbrook, Minnesota pipeline fire in 2007 and the Texas
City, a fuel leak, explosion and fire at a Pemex pipeline in 2011.
Fatal work Injuries: The safety of employees in every industry is
critically important one fatality or injury is one too many. Over the past
few years, the oil and gas industry has partnered with federal agencies
to study workplace safety in order to ensure the safety and protection of
its employees and improve climate of safe and responsible operations.
A total of 120 fatal work injuries occurred in the oil and gas extraction
industry in 2008. The three most frequent fatal events in 2008 were
transportation incidents (41%), contact with objects and equipment
(25%), and fires and explosions (15%).
In September 18, 2012 an explosion and fire occurred at a gas plant
Pemex Exploration and Production (PEP) located 19 miles from Reynosa,

David Angel Gonzalez

Industrial Safety

Assignment #1

in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, Mexico, leaving a total of 30

dead and dozens injured.

Nonfatal Work injuries: Drilling oil and gas wells is a distinct industry
from oil and gas production, and is classified under support activities for
mining. Establishments in this industry are primarily engaged in drilling
oil and gas wells for others on a contract or fee basis. This industry
includes contractors that specialize in spudding in, drilling in, redrilling,
and directional drilling. From 2003 to 2007, the most recent data
available for oil and gas wells, the number of total recordable cases of
nonfatal injuries and illnesses ranged between 2,400 in 2003 and 4,700
in 2005, with 2007 having 4,200 cases. The rate of injuries and illnesses
ranged from 4.0 per 100 full-time workers in 2003 to 6.8 in 2004, with a
rate of 4.6 in 2007. This is a little higher than the rate of 4.2 per 100 fulltime workers for all industries. The most recent data show that the
affected workers in this industry are overwhelmingly men, and where
race was reported, mostly white.
Commonly, workers are injured by being struck by objects (32% of
cases) or being caught in objects, equipment or material (21% of cases).

David Angel Gonzalez

Industrial Safety

Assignment #1

Accidents occur in petroleum refineries by a variety of different reasons.

The pipes that become thin by continuous use, concrete cracking normal
wear, gas leaks and other hazards can easily lead to fires and
explosions.
Conclusion: The safety habits are really important to prevent accidents
in wherever you are in the petroleum industry, you need to remember all
of the things that learn about Industrial safety and be ready because you
never know where or when something is going to happen.

Bibliography:
Getting the Facts Straight on Oil & Gas Employee Safety:
http://idahopetroleumcouncil.com/getting-the-facts-straight-on-oil-gasemployee-safety/
Oil and Gas Industry: Fatal and Nonfatal Occupational Injuries PDF
Los accidentes ms severos de Pemex desde 1984:
http://www.excelsior.com.mx/2013/02/01/882272
Accidentes en refinera de petrleo en Houston:
http://www.guerrafarahabogado.com/Lesiones-Personales/Accidentes-derefiner-a-de-petr-leo.aspx
David Angel Gonzalez

Industrial Safety

Assignment #1

David Angel Gonzalez

Industrial Safety

Assignment #1