New API report shows robust natural gas and oil industry commitment to workplace safety

API has released its comprehensive “Workplace Safety Report” showing that occupational injuries and illness for the natural gas and oil industry occur at a substantially lower rate than the US private sector and are continuing to decline.

“Safety has always been paramount to the natural gas and oil industry. As this report demonstrates, the industry’s leading workplace safety record reflects our commitment to safe and healthy working environments,” Debra Phillips, Vice President of API Global Industry Services (GIS), said. “With strong industry leadership, we continue to enhance our approach to training, prevention and continuous improvement – incorporating advanced technologies, materials and practices as we strive toward our industry wide goal of zero incidents.”

Industry’s safety initiatives are recognized by the chief authorities on safety, including the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which has incorporated a number of API’s recommended practices for workplace safety into the agency’s own standards. The “Workplace Safety Report” compares the safety rates of job-related nonfatal injuries and illnesses of the US natural gas and oil industry with comparable US industries. Information in the report is from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. 

Data from the “Workplace Safety Report” includes:

• The 2017 industry rate of job-related nonfatal injuries and illnesses was 1.7 incidents per 100 full-time workers versus 2.8 incidents for the US private sector;
• The industry’s incidence rate has decreased by 41% since 2008. The private sector’s rate decreased by 28% since 2008;
• The 2017 incidence rate for exploration and production was 1.1 (offshore was 0.6) per 100 full-time workers compared with 1.5 for US mining sector; and
• Pipeline infrastructure is an extremely safe way to transport natural gas and oil products. The pipeline rate rounds to 0.0 for almost every year, including 2017, compared with the 2017 rate of 4.6 for all of US transportation and warehousing.