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>> Oil and natural gas extraction workers are an
essential part of this country's workforce.
A critical step in the supply chain is the transfer of oil,
gas and other fluids from wells
to other locations for processing.
Truck drivers are typically the workers responsible
for transferring these processed fluids, including waste water,
flowback, condensate and crude oil.
Depending on the work practices and controls, workers can be
at risk for exposure to hazardous gases and vapors,
oxygen deficiencies, fires or explosions,
vehicle incidence and heat stress.
Drivers are often alone onsite to transfer fluids,
making it difficult to get help if needed.
This video explains the hazards involved in fluid transfers
and provides employers and workers with information
to protect themselves so that they can get home
to their families at the end of each day.
During 2016 to 2020 at least 12 workers died while transferring
fluids at well sites.
These workers died from cardiac events,
combustion-related explosions being struck by a vehicle,
hydrogen sulfide exposure and heat stroke.
The hazards and risks involved in fluid transfers are real.
As the previous incidents have shown,
workers have died while handling processed fluids.
So what is a workplace hazard?
A hazard is something that has the potential to cause harm,
including injury, illness or even death.
Hazards are present in every workplace,
but most can be controlled.
During fluid transfers, flammable atmospheres,
exposures to hydrocarbons, low oxygen
and hydrogen sulfide are all hazards.
And what is a workplace risk?
Risk is the chance of harm resulting
from being exposed to a hazard.
The important message is this,
you may encounter a workplace hazard or even multiple hazards,
but if the employer removes or controls them,
so you are not exposed to the hazards,
then there's no risk of harm.
However, if there are hazards and they aren't removed
or controlled, then at some point you may be exposed
to the hazard and could be injured or even die.
Workers can encounter several hazards when offloading
or transferring hydrocarbon liquids
from storage tanks to trucks.
These hazards include inhalation
of chemicals including hydrocarbons
and hydrogen sulfide, creation of oxygen-deficient atmospheres,
potential for fires and explosions.
Exposure to these hazards can result in injury,
hospitalization, short
and long-term health effects or even death.
The source of these hazards includes the transfer
of any process fluid, including crude oil, condensate,
flowback fluids, produced water, brines,
and basic sediment in water or BS&W.
It is important to remember
that produced water is not just water.
When processed fluids are transferred,
especially if the tank is under pressure, hydrocarbon gas
and vapors can escape presenting a risk for worker exposures.
The plume of gas and vapors can surround a worker resulting
in an atmosphere that may be toxic, oxygen-deficient
or flammable, and can even be immediately dangerous
to life and health.
Here an infrared camera allows us to see a gas and vapor plume
which is otherwise invisible to workers.
This worker is offloading tanks at a well site,
and he is engulfed in the vapor plume
because he did not run a vent line from the truck.
This worker was exposed to a fire and explosion hazard,
a toxic gas hazard, and an oxygen-deficiency hazard.
These exposures can affect his eyes, lungs,
central nervous system, and can cause his heart
to have abnormal rhythms resulting in dizziness,
disorientation, loss of consciousness,
and even sudden cardiac arrest.
It's important to remember
that all processed fluids are potentially hazardous.
This is because they are toxic.
In some cases, life threatening concentrations of gas
and vapors can be released.
They are flammable and they are asphixiants.
They displace oxygen and can collect
in low-lying areas and confined spaces.
And they can migrate.
The hazards of fluid transfer and disposal are known,
understood, and preventable.
So how do we prevent health and safety risks
to oil and gas workers?
The hierarchy of controls is a well-accepted system
to eliminate or reduce occupational safety
and health risks.
The idea behind this hierarchy is that the control methods
at the top of the graphic are known to be more effective
and protective to the worker than those at the bottom.
During fluid transfers, eliminating
or substituting the hazardous fluid is not always possible.
So the use of engineering controls,
administrative controls, and personal protective equipment,
are the main prevention steps used to protect oil
and gas workers when they transfer fluids.
Engineering controls are intended to reduce
or control the hazard at the source before it comes
into contact with the worker.
Proper venting or vapor recovery are engineering controls used
by truck operators to safely vent
or contain processed fluid vapors away from the worker.
To accomplish this, workers should use a Vapor Recovery Unit
or VRU if available.
Know the wind direction and locate trucks upwind
of vapor sources to prevent engine acceleration or run-away.
If available, open a pressure release valve
for atmospheric-stack venting on point sources, such as tanks.
Attach a vent line to dissipate vapors from ignition sources,
personnel or other potential hazards.
Be aware that vapors may reach flammable range during periods
of low flows, typically in the final few minutes of loading.
If multi-gas monitor alarms go off at any time,
workers should immediately exit to a safe area.
Bonding, grounding and the use
of conductive hoses are additional engineering controls
that can be used when transferring processed fluids.
It's important to use conductive hose
and closed connections for fluid transfers.
Use connectors for bonding and grounding,
such as copper wire and clamps.
To ensure the connectors, provide a good conductive path,
remove any dirt or debris from the couplings.
Use flexible connectors where there is vibration
or continuous movement.
Connect metal to metal.
Only disconnect bonds or grounds once all transfer operations
have stopped and suction nozzle, hose or tube is withdrawn
from the source, receiving tank or container.
Vacuum truck owners should establish a schedule
for inspecting and testing the electrical continuity
of grounding and bonding.
See American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 2219
for more information on the safe operation
of vacuum trucks in petroleum service.
Two important administrative controls are worker training
and policies and procedures.
To keep workers safe, employers should conduct hazard
assessments and determine necessary controls
to protect workers.
Then develop a job safety and health analysis
for processed fluids, transfers and loading.
Communicate workplace hazards, risks and controls in a language
that workers understand to both offsite contractors
and onsite workers through hazard awareness training.
Train vacuum truck operators
in standard operating procedures and controls.
They can minimize risks for exposure or injury.
See API, and OSHA regulation for more information.
Additionally, train workers in the proper use
of personal multi-gas monitors and know their limitations
and servicing requirements.
This includes how to confirm the monitors are functioning
properly, the units are placed
within the workers breathing zone
and that the unit has been properly calibrated and tested
for lower explosive limit,
oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide.
If multi-gas monitor alarms go off at any time,
workers should immediately exit to a safe area.
Personal protective equipment or PPE has been proven
to be less effective than other controls and thus is used
as a last line of defense.
PPE is chosen depending on the hazard and risk
that is identified by the employer
and may include flame-resistant clothing,
protective eyewear, boots and gloves.
When respiratory protection is used,
a self-contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA,
is the most protective respirator
against hydrocarbon gases and vapors.
Oil and processed fluids can be transferred
and transported safely and with minimal risks.
But to do so, employers
and workers must understand the hazards, know the risks,
and be able to apply the appropriate controls
under the appropriate circumstances,
to control the hazards and mitigate the risks involved.
Doing so, each time will save lives.
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