Oil and gas extraction worker fatalities 2014: NIOSH Fatalities in Oil and Gas Extraction (FOG) database

"This report describes fatal incidents identified by the NIOSH Fatalities in Oil and Gas Extraction (FOG) database that occurred in 2014. The purpose of FOG is to collect detailed information about worker fatalities related to U.S. oil and gas extraction. This report provides updates to fatalities published in the Oil and Gas Extraction Worker Fatalities, 2014 Mid-year Report: January 1, 2014 - June 30, 2014, and also includes fatalities from the second half of the year. It is intended to serve as a resource for health and safety professionals, managers, and other stakeholders in identifying and eliminating hazards encountered by workers during oil and gas extraction operations. In this report, fatalities are presented by rig count, workforce, location, industry group, event type, operation, activities, and the number of fatalities per incident. Cardiac and undetermined fatalities with no known work exposure are excluded from this report (unless otherwise specified on page 11), but are included in FOG. More information about the FOG database is available on the website at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/fog/. SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS: FOG identified 88 fatal incidents accounting for 101 fatalities that occurred in 2014.* In ten of these incidents, more than one worker was fatally injured. Fatalities occurred in 14 states, with the largest proportion occurring in Texas (44%), Oklahoma (11%), and North Dakota (10%). These states also had the greatest proportion of industry activity (as measured by the number of active U.S. rotary rigs), with 47%, 11%, and 9% respectively. The majority of fatalities in FOG were to workers from servicing companies (45 fatalities, 45%). Fatal incidents to servicing company workers occurred throughout all oil and gas extraction operations, with the largest proportions occurring during completions (14 fatalities), production (11 fatalities), and well servicing, workover, or intervention (5 fatalities). The industry group with the second highest number of fatalities were drilling companies (27 fatalities, 27%). Most of these fatalities were concentrated during drilling operations (20 fatalities). Across all operations, drilling operations accounted for the largest proportion of all fatalities (26%, 26 fatalities). Material handling using a crane, forklift, or, winch truck was the activity associated with the most on-site fatalities (n=12), occurring across different company types and operations. Roadway vehicle incidents were the leading cause of death (18 fatalities, 18%). Of these incidents, nine fatally injured workers were not wearing a seatbelt and five drivers were fatigued, leading to seven worker fatalities. Contact injuries resulted in 24 deaths (24%), including 15 deaths from falling objects (15%). Approximately three-quarters of contact injury fatalities were associated with at least one of the four following activities: material handing using a crane, forklift, or winch truck; laydown or pickup of tubulars; make up or break out of tubulars; or rigging up or down. DISCUSSION AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS: The ability of FOG to characterize fatalities by oil and gas extraction specific variables, such as the operation and activities occurring at the time of the incident allows for a deeper understanding of these events. Safety and health professionals should use FOG data to target interventions, paying particular attention to the operations, activities, and other contributing factors that have resulted in the most fatalities. Future releases of FOG data and recommendations to prevent fatal incidents are planned and will be disseminated as data become available." - NIOSHTIC-2The NIOSH Fatalities in Oil and Gas Extraction (FOG) is a national database that collects detailed information about oil and gas extraction fatalities in the U.S. It is used to inform NIOSH, industry, and other stakeholder groups, and guide interventions that will prevent future loss of life in this industry. FOG includes all identified fatal events to U.S. land-based and offshore oil and gas extraction workers, irrespective of the industry code of the employer. A full description of the inclusion and exclusion criteria is found below. Fatal events are identified through: 1) preliminary descriptions, citations, and closed investigations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration\u2019s (OSHA) Occupational Safety and Health Information System (OIS) or the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS); 2) media reports; 3) formal investigations from federal, state, and local agencies; 4) motor vehicle crash reports; 5) emergency responder and police reports; 6) coroner and medical examiner reports; and 7) death certificates. While source documents used to populate FOG may include personal identifiable information (PII), no PII will be included in the FOG database or in any FOG report.Suggested citation: NIOSH [2017]. Oil and Gas Extraction Worker Fatalities 2014; NIOSH Fatalities in Oil and Gas Extraction (FOG) Database. By Ridl S, Retzer K, Hill R. Denver, CO: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2017-193.NIOSHTIC no. 2005029