INTERNATIONAL GENERAL

CERTIFICATE
(2011 specification)

UNIT GC3 – THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Sheet No 01 of 09

Student name: Zain-Ul-Sajjad Asghar Student number: 00275662

Location: POL well site Balkassar X-1 Date of review 11 / 3 / 2015

1. Introduction including overview of area inspected and activities taking place

I have completed my IGC-3 Risk Assessment at POL (Pakistan Oilfields Limited) well site ‘Balkassar
X-1 on Wednesday 11th March 2015. POL is a highly diversified Exploration & Production Company
(E&P) of Pakistan. In 1978, POL is presently operating nine Development and Production leases i.e.
Pariwali, Meyal, Joyamair, Minwal, Dhulian, Khaur, Pindori, Turkwal and Balkassar. POL field is
located in Punjab (Balkassar) of district Chakwal, 90 km southwest of Islamabad, bounded by latitudes
32°55'60" N and 72°39'0" E. There were almost 110 person working at well site. Work was going on in
two shifts of 12 hours each. For approaching reservoir zone around 8000 feet deep drilling was going on
using conventional drilling technique for oil exploration. Main processes are:

 A drilling rig which creates bore holes in the earth sub-surface for hydrocarbon exploration.
 Diesel tanks, for vehicles, running diesel heavy generators for rig operation, camp site electricity,
forklift trucks & Mobile cranes.
 Chemical areas for preparation of drilling mud, The main functions of drilling fluids include
providing hydrostatic pressure to prevent formation fluids from entering into the well bore,
keeping the drill bit cool and clean during drilling, carrying out drill cuttings at surface.

Risk assessment was carried out at drilling site and chemical area. Rig layout diagram is also attached.
INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
CERTIFICATE
(2011 specification)

UNIT GC3 – THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Sheet No 01 of 09

Student name: Zain-Ul-Sajjad Asghar Student number: 00275662

Location: POL well site Balkassar X-1 Date of review 11 / 3 / 2015

1.1 Rig Layout Plan

Rig Layout Plan

 INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
CERTIFICATE
(2011 specification)

UNIT GC3 – THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Sheet No 01 of 09

Student name: Zain-Ul-Sajjad Asghar Student number: 00275662

Location: POL well site Balkassar X-1 Date of review 11 / 3 / 2015

2. Executive Summary

I am thankful to management of Pakistan Oilfields Limited (POL) which allows me to visit

its rig site. I was happy to see that rig site has good working environment and provide good welfare
facilities like mineral water, hygienic food etc. This reflects management’s positive attitude and
commitment towards health and safety culture although there were few points which shows
managements negligence and conflicts to International legislation standards related to health and
safety which may lead to accidents and ultimately organization suffers from big losses in term of
both men and money which can degrade the company’s reputation.

Some of the important issues on which company has to take immediate action like provision of
proper personal protective equipment, work requirement to avoid the losses from men lives and money,
periodic inspection and maintain all equipment and repair the damage electrical/ machinery equipment
to avoid from electrocution and fire hazards. Properly install the interlocked guards on machines,
construct obstruction to avoid to fall in mud tanks, mud pits, fall from height from scaffolds, some of
these issues can be by consuming minimum resources hence company will be safe from big loses in
term of both money and lives.

Some major issues on which management’s take serious consideration are addressed in main findings
section.
 INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
CERTIFICATE
(2011 specification)

UNIT GC3 – THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Sheet No 01 of 09

Student name: Zain-Ul-Sajjad Asghar Student number: 00275662

Location: POL well site Balkassar X-1 Date of review 11 / 3 / 2015

3. Main findings of the inspection

3.1 - Risk of serious injury / fatality due to falling into mud tank (observation 14 & 16
of observation sheet)

Workers are at high risk of injury, burn or fatality due to falling into the mud tanks because
mud tanks are opened. This type of accidents can be prevented by installation of metal floor grills on
mud tanks and provide a proper platform at shale shaker to workers for collecting cutting rock samples
for lithology determination and provide platform for installation of sensors (temperature, density
sensors) at mud tanks.

Management should take steps to overcome these type of accidents otherwise heavy
compensations have to be paid to effected workers and employer is liable to do so under law as per ILO
Recommendation – 121 Article 8, which states that:

“Cash benefits in respect of incapacity for work should be paid from the first day in each case of
suspension of earnings”.

3.2 - Risk of unconsciousness / fatality due to inhalation of H2S Gas or toxic chemicals

(Observation 12 & 22 of observation sheet)

Workers are at greater risk to unconsciousness/fatality due to inhalation of dangerous gasses

and chemicals because worker are dealing with different toxic chemicals for preparation of drilling mud
without wearing mask/respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and in case of H2S gas released from
well bore no provision of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).

On urgent basis management should arrange the RPE and SCBA for their worker it is possibly
the breach of ILO convention C 155, Article 16, (clause c) which states that:
 INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
CERTIFICATE
(2011 specification)

UNIT GC3 – THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Sheet No 01 of 09

Student name: Zain-Ul-Sajjad Asghar Student number: 00275662

Location: POL well site Balkassar X-1 Date of review 11 / 3 / 2015

“ Employers shall be required to provide, where necessary, adequate protective clothing and protective
equipment to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, risk of accidents or of adverse effects on
health “.

If management does not provides the PPE and this may lead to accident then organisation have
to pay compensation to employee and also enforcement action will be taken by legal
authorities.

3.3- Risk of limb loss / fatality due to entanglement in machine parts (observation
17 of observation sheet)

It’s a duty of management to provide safe system of work without any risk. Workers are at
greater risk of limb loss or fatality due to entanglement in moving machine parts of mud pumps,
because machine guards are not installed. Management must resolve this issue on urgent basis to
avoid accidents and fulfils the ILO convention C 155, Article 16,( clause a) clearly says:

“Employers shall be required to ensure that, as far as is reasonably practicable, the

workplaces, machinery, equipment and processes under their control are safe and without risk
to health”.

3.4- Risk of burn / fatality due to fire (observation 10, 11, 12, 20, 23 & 24 of observations
sheet)

Fire has adverse effects on health and property. Fire mostly spread when manually dealing with
highly flammable chemicals. Employer should be liable under ILO Chemicals Convention C 170,
Article 11, which states that:
 INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
CERTIFICATE
(2011 specification)

UNIT GC3 – THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Sheet No 01 of 09

Student name: Zain-Ul-Sajjad Asghar Student number: 00275662

Location: POL well site Balkassar X-1 Date of review 11 / 3 / 2015

“Employers shall ensure that when chemicals are transferred into other containers or equipment, the
contents are indicated in a manner which will make known to workers their identity, any hazards
associated with their use and any safety precautions to be observed.”

Fire accidents can be avoided if management provide control measures like in case of bursting
high pressure lines install safety relief valves, smoking area away from chemical area. If management
take steps to promote health and safety worker feels safe hence improved in working performance
ultimately benefit to organization.

3.5 - Risk of electrocution / burns due to usage of broken electric switches / faulty
electrical equipment (Observations 20 & 21 of observation sheet)

It’s a duty of organization to provide safe work place to worker to avoid accidents.eg;
Periodically inspect the electrical appliances and the damage once. It is also a legal requirement
under The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (clause a) which states
that,

"Every employer shall make suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of
his employees to which they are exposed whilst at work”

All broken electrical equipment should be replaced with new one to avoid future accidents.
 INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
CERTIFICATE
(2011 specification)

UNIT GC3 – THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Sheet No 01 of 09

Student name: Zain-Ul-Sajjad Asghar Student number: 00275662

Location: POL well site Balkassar X-1 Date of review 11 / 3 / 2015

4- Conclusions
The environment of health and safety culture was average, positive thing is that organization
provides good welfare facilities which are appreciable but on the other hand company has to resolve the
above mentioned issues in short period of time and which are not too much costly. It’s better to take
action before rather than after the accident. It’s a responsibility of the employer to provide safe place
and safe system of work accordingly as per ILO C – 155 Article 16 clause a & b.

Management should show prime commitment towards health and safety, if cannot manage
health and safety results in loss of company reputation in national and international market, loss of staff
morale, loss of goodwill of customers, compensation claims and enforcement action taken by legal
authorities ultimately weakens the financial position of company.

Some recommendations are given at the end of report which should be reviewed and
implemented to promote Health & Safety culture, which results in reduction of risk to workers lives and
improve company’s reputation.

After resolving these issues, periodic inspection must be carried out to avoid future losses and breaches of
any legislations.
INTERNATIONAL GENERAL

CERTIFICATE
(2011 specification)

UNIT GC3 – THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Sheet No 01 of 09

Student name: Zain-Ul-Sajjad Asghar Student number: 00275662

Location: POL well site Balkassar X-1 Date of review 11 / 3 / 2015

5- Recommendations – include as a table in the following format:

Recommendation Likely resource implications Priority Target date

Observation 22

Provision of self-
contained breathing Estimated cost 100,000 PKR High 2 weeks
apparatus (SCBA) & gas
masks

Observation 9 & 11

Provision of fire
fighting system Estimated cost 100’000 PKR Medium 1 – 2 Months
including fire
extinguisher and fire
hydrants
Observation 23
Provision of safety relief Estimated cost 150’000 PKR High 1 week
valve and proper
anchoring of safety
lines

Training to workers on
safe system of work and In-house training by HSE High 1 month
health & safety Manager. No cost
practices
Observation 14

Installation of metal Estimated cost 17’000 PKR High 1 month

floor grills on mud
tanks

Observation 16

Construct platform for Estimated cost 20’000 PKR High 1 month

taking samples from
mud-tanks
INTERNATIONAL GENERAL

CERTIFICATE
(2011 specification)

UNIT GC3 – THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Sheet No 01 of 09

Student name: Zain-Ul-Sajjad Asghar Student number: 00275662

Location: POL well site Balkassar X-1 Date of review 11 / 3 / 2015

Continued..

Recommendation Likely resource implications Priority Target date

Observation 9

Installation of spark Estimated cost 10’000 PKR High 1 week

arrestors in the
exhaust of forklift
trucks & mobile
cranes

Observation 20 & 21

Replacement of all Estimated cost 50’000 PKR High 2 weeks

damaged broken
sockets & damaged
wires

Observation 17

Install proper
interlocked guards on Estimated cost 15’000 PKR High 2 weeks
the mud pump gear

Observation 26

Provision of safety Estimated cost 15’000PKR Medium 2 weeks

harness