Just one gallon of oil can taint a million gallons of water, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. There are inherent risks in oil exploration, extraction, transport, and storage; spills can have serious adverse and potentially long-term effects on the environment, drinking water, human and wildlife populations. Prevention is key, and preparation is part of that.

One of the most dangerous industries in the world is notably one of the most committed to workplace safety.

At the turn of the new year, hope was on the horizon for the oil and gas industry. For three years, the industry dealt with a difficult downturn. But in January, we started to see some higher oil prices – perhaps an indication of recovery for the industry.

The 2010 disaster of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig was the largest accidental oil spill in U.S. history. The event claimed the lives of 11 workers and released more than 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Use this checklist to ensure the health and safety of your employees. 

It’s unfortunate to say, but oftentimes it takes a severe accident to prompt a change in oil and gas safety procedures. The truth is, safety isn’t simply the lack of incidents. Rather, it’s a daily, ongoing, conscious effort to look for ways to identify potential threats and improve safety practices.

As energy demand continues to grow, and productivity grows too, managing the health and safety of workers in oil and gas refineries becomes even more crucial. 

It does not matter if you work in the oil industry or not – EHS managers can always count on Shell’s annual sustainability report to learn ways to improve their own operations.

No matter what precautions you take or how well you train your employees, job site spills and accidents can still occur. And while no one wants a spill or other health or safety-related incidents to negatively impact the work environment, properly handling the situation can help ensure some form of positive outcome.

The EPA’s stated goal is to protect the environment. Part of that job falls on the heavy shoulders of those who must ensure compliance with regulations. What has EHS pros worried? Here’s a short summary.