What to Expect From a Oilfield Safety Training Course
Although oilfield workers can receive training from a variety of providers, there are standards you can expect no matter who is facilitating the class.
Oilfield safety training will typically consist of classroom activities and trial scenarios. Often Hands-On training is par for the course when working with heavy machinery or evacuation routines.
In the classroom, an instructor will likely lecture with the help of slideshow presentations, videos, worksheets, and real-world stories from the field. You can expect to learn general safety topics like federal regulations, hazard communication, and personal protection equipment. Some oilfield-specific issues that you might learn about include offshore and onshore transportation, emergency management, and marine debris.
Hands-on training, however, will require more interaction. Depending on your career level and job description, you may be asked to perform many different tasks. Many offshore oilfield workers must complete training in helicopter underwater escape, incipient firefighting, and respiratory protection. But, no matter what your job is, you’re going to be expected to do it safely.
The high cost of an untrained crew.
In the oilfield, many factors can affect the company’s bottom line. Many of these factors are outside of your control when working with natural elements, so it is essential to control the things you have power over to prevent injuries and casualties.
A Safety accident can cost a business thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many accidents lead to damaged equipment as well as downtime for investigations. A rig can lose a million dollars a day if if it has to shut down from loss of production. This does not include the additional expenses as a result of worker injuries, retraining additions in insurance premiums. These enormous expenses make a liability out of anyone who is not adequately trained in safety.
If you or members of your team are less than thrilled about training, it’s a good idea to hash out the benefits. In a nutshell, those with current training are less of a liability to their companies; they are prepared for inspections, and – most importantly – they will go home at the end of their shifts.