Safety for any job is a number one priority but when related to oil rigs, safety issues increase for a variety of reasons. For one thing, the very environment of oil rigs creates risks, the type of work performed is also dangerous, and unfortunately, oil platforms have become targets of terrorists in many forms to include piracy. Because of safety concerns, this industry has made a solid commitment to developing standards, technologies, practices, and programs to ensure the safety of every worker, as well as oil rigs themselves.
Although development of natural gas and offshore oil operations have been protected with special safety measures for the past six decades, today along with oil rig safety jobs already in existence, a number of new positions have been created. As a result, rig environment and job performance that often involves working with hazardous materials, heavy equipment, high pressures, and hot temperatures are far more protected and safe.
New Developments
A number of new programs have been developed specific to oil rig safety jobs, one in particular being Center for Offshore Safety. The goal with this program is to be the driving force in necessary improvements being made to help beef up safety. Taking information and lessons learned by oil rigs throughout the world, independent studies and analysis, and third parties responsible for safety performance certification, officials of the program are capable of providing needed leadership in the arena of safety.
Another change seen specific to safety and various oil rig safety jobs is new systems for oil containment, accident employment, and more. Although these programs are devised to help oil rigs throughout the world, a lot of the attention has been on rigs in the Gulf simply because 30% of production in the United States and 13% of natural gas production is connected to work being performed in the Gulf.
Job Opportunities
Today, approximately 9.2 million jobs in the United States along with 7.7% of the country’s economy are supported specifically by natural gas and domestic oil industries. In addition, petroleum and oil products produced have reached 51%. Obviously, these statistics are the result of hard work performed by dedicated employees of oil rigs. While all it takes all jobs on an oil rig to make things happen, with so much at stake, oil rig safety jobs have quickly become key to success for companies but also the economy.
Without safety being at the forefront of every operation and job performed on an oil rig, the flourishing gas and domestic oil industry that is so critical to the US economy would fail. The bottom line is that oil rig safety jobs are not only critical to keep rig operations going and for every person working on rigs, but also the economy of America.
Safety Engineer
One example of oil rig safety jobs would be with the Safety Engineer position. Primary responsibilities of this job include conduction safety inspections on a regular basis for the entire rig, noting any unsafe conditions or performances, and creating mandatory
inspection reports. In addition, this person would make sure the preparation accident and incident reporting and investigations system was properly implemented, produce and maintain safety training records, and organize, as well as participate in or lead safety meetings for subcontractors, among other things.
Safety Specialist
In this position, the specialist would be responsible for conducting inspections on equipment and catering operations to ensure all hygienic standards of food handling and preparation meet compliancy, prepare risk assessments, as well as hazard analysis on catering operations, and offer training to personnel specific to safe use of machinery, fire prevention, and equipment.
System and Safety Engineer
This is another one of the critical oil rig safety jobs, which in simple terms has the lead role for handling maintenance, system, and safety engineering for the rig’s defense force.
Engineer Fire and Safety Engineer
The last of the oil rig safety jobs we wanted to mention is this, which involves establishing OHSAS 18001 systems, investigating incidents and accidents followed by taking all required corrective and preventive actions, creating reactive and proactive measures to prevent occupational injuries, developing training modules, spearheading occasional mock drills, and so on.