Summer is storm season, and another twister touched down recently in North Dakota, injuring nine people. This is an opportune time for a severe weather safety alert and a few suggestions on how to keep oilfield workers safe.
More energy companies, drilling and fracking crews and petrochemical companies are considering storm shelters an important part of their work sites, according to Steven Carr of Light Tower Rentals (LTR) in Odessa, Texas. Portable storm shelters can save the lives of workers on remote oilfield camps.
It’s vital to protect oilfield crews stationed in areas prone to thunderstorms and tornadoes. Whether or not a storm shelter is available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers some tips to help keep workers safe this storm season:
- Workers should have access to a radio to get the latest emergency information from local authorities, and listen for announcements of a tornado watch or tornado warning.
- Make sure workers and supervisors are aware of an evacuation plan if severe weather threatens.
- Ensure all workers are accounted for during a storm.
- In the event of a tornado warning, make sure workers know where the nearest storm shelter is if there is not one available at the work site.
- Do not stay in trailer homes during a tornado. Many companies use trailer homes as mobile on-site offices, but such facilities cannot withstand tornado-force winds.
- If there is no adequate shelter available, workers should avoid areas with trees and protect their heads with their arms.
These are only some of the commonsense steps to take should severe weather strike work areas. In tornado-prone areas, the best plan of action is to be prepared. And if possible, an on-site storm shelter can severely minimize worker injury or even death.
Providing security for employees is a huge boon for companies, especially in terms of potential liability. “You are taking the necessary steps to provide safety for your crew,” Carr says.
But having the shelters can also save on production time. If storms are headed a crew’s way, many might opt to just head home for the day. With the availability of a shelter, a crew can stay safe until the threat is over and return to work immediately, if possible.
Carr says, “The loss of time and loss of money is minimized.”
