Osage Nation Emergency Management - OILFIELD DANGERS

School is out and it is summertime in Osage County. Osage Nation Emergency Management (ONEM) wants to remind children and adults, young and old, that there are dangers if one is too close to pump jacks or any oil field equipment. The county is littered with these machines as this is oil country, and people for some reason are lured to play around and even try to ride pump jacks. The Oklahoma Energy Resource Board (OERB) routinely campaigns about safety awareness: Smart Beats Lucky Every Time.

Unfortunately, there are those who are NOT LUCKY.

Just a few years ago, KOTV Channel 6 in Tulsa, reported on a 17-year-old boy who had to have a “field amputation” of his arm after being pinned and his arm crushed in the machinery. As the article explained, pump jacks today often are set on automatic timers since they operate with electricity rather than gas. These machines can start up with no warning. “Well owners are required to fence their machinery, but there is no requirement to hide or key the manual on-off switch.”

In addition to injuries or death from the machinery, toxic gases such as methane are odorless and can easily over take an individual standing too close to a pump jack or tank batteries. A child was asphyxiated while looking into storage tanks near his home. H2S (hydrogen sulfide) is a colorless gas and occurs naturally in crude petroleum and natural gas. It is flammable, smells like rotten eggs, and is very poisonous.

OERB reports oil and natural gas producers require safety measures be put in place for employees and visitors. This can include, but is not limited to protection for eyes, face, head and extremities; protective clothing which may also be flame-resistant; and respiratory devices.

These areas and machines appear attractive to children as a form of fun. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) reports that even hunters will use oil and gas sites as hunting blinds. OCC says that “in reality [these] sites are only for trained professionals.”

Well site safety from OERB:

  • Counterweights weigh up to 20,000 lbs. and will crush a human body without stopping.Falling off this beam or attempting to ride the weights can bring serious injuries or accidental death.
  • The cables in front, which travel up and down, if grabbed by someone can cut off one’s hand(s).
  • Electrical boxes, wires and components operate at high voltage.Anyone touching them could receive serious electrical shock.

ONEM hopes that everyone has a safe summer. If you would like to know more about ONEM visit the Osage Nation website at www.osagenation-nsn.gov or contact ONEM at 918-287-5225 or 287-9707.

CHECK THIS INFORMATION OUT

To learn more about oil field safety programs visit OERB’s website at www.oerb.com; kids and educators should visit http://duh.oerb.com. Another site for info is www.michael4safety.net. To find videos from KOTV 6 about the above-mentioned accident and oilfield dangers, clickthe following link: http://www.newson6.com/story/9809235/teen-loses-arm-in-oil-pump-jack-accident