30 Apr 04/30/2019

Oil and Gas Equipment & Services Drilling

Oil Rig Safety Gear: PPE Worn Across On-Shore Drilling and Production Operations

Drilling for oil and natural gas has always been a dangerous occupation. From the first day of rigging up until the final depth is reached, workers on a drilling rig face the possibility of a safety incident every step of the way. Every job requires its own set of skills - and faces its own kind of danger.

MCR Safety gloves, glasses, and garments worn on a drilling rig

OHSA sets safety recommendations for six different phases of drilling operations. Each phase has its own potential hazards, but having the right personal protective equipment for the job can reduce injury, protect equipment, and save lives. Click the image below, which will take you directly to OSHA’s Oil and Gas eTool.

Here at MCR Safety, we are not drillers. Instead, we provide the PPE and safety gear drillers require to make it home in one piece. We Protect People! Let us protect you across all areas of the drilling rig. Read below to learn more.

Rigging Up

Substructure

Rigging up is the placement and assembly of the rig itself, and preparing it for drilling. This phase involves the use of cranes, trucks, forklifts, and other heavy machinery to position equipment for assembly, offering plenty of opportunities for workers to be hit by moving vehicles or swinging equipment. Assembling the rig can mean pinched fingers or the occasional falling tool. With so much in motion, high-visibility clothing and impact protection gloves can help keep the rigging up process on track.

Here are the seven steps OSHA’s eTool identifies as being a part of rigging up. Next to each link, we list the potential hazards MCR Safety can assist in protecting against. Just click the link to start viewing the PPE options available to you.

Activity	Hazard
Substructure setup	Eye irritation from welding Burns while cutting
Rig floor setup	Being struck by swinging equipment as it is hoisted
Handrail installation	Eye hazards are everywhere on a rig
Power system installation	Chemical hazard exposure
Circulating system rigging	Being struck by hammer while connecting mud line
Auxiliary equipment installation	Being struck by tubulars loaded onto racks
Rig inspection	Eye hazards
Rigging down	Hazards are similar to those listed above, just in reverse order

Drilling Ahead

Drill Rig Illustration

Working around chains

Once the rig is built, it’s time for drilling ahead. In addition to the constant risk of being struck by tongs, spinning chain, or pipe, drilling workers also face the possibility of flash fire. 16% of all oil and gas fatalities are the result of exposure to flash fires. Although they last just seconds, flash fires can cause devastating burns to an unprotected worker. Flame-resistant garments can greatly reduce injury because they do not continue to burn after a flash fire has gone out.

Here are the ten tasks OSHA’s eTool identifies as part of the drilling process. Next to each link, we list the potential hazards MCR Safety can assist in protecting against. Just click the link to start viewing the PPE options available to you.

Activity	Hazard
Tubular/pipe handling	Being struck by rolling or falling tubulars
Drilling fluid preparation	Explosions Chemical exposure
Drilling begins	Being struck by tongs, chains, or pipe
Preparing to break out pipe	Pinched fingers between slips
Breaking out pipe	Swinging tongs Release of excess drilling mud
Making up pipe	Being struck by kelly or spinning chains
Raising the Kelly	Being struck by kelly, debris, or overhead objects
Adding pipe	Being struck by swinging pipe
Drilling resumes	Eye hazards are everywhere on an oil rig
Coring	Being pinched or struck by the core

Tripping Out and In

Eventually, the bit or some other piece of the drill string is going to need to be replaced. Removing or replacing pipe from the well is known as tripping, runs the risk of exposing workers to excess drilling mud. This fluid may contain chemicals that can cause burns when it comes in contact with skin or eyes. PVC gloves and safety glasses can help prevent this type of injury.

OSHA’s eTool identifies eight activities completed during the tripping out/in process. Next to each link, we list the potential hazard MCR Safety can assist in protecting against. Just click the link to start viewing the PPE options available to you.

Drilling mud

Oil and gas pipes

Activity	Hazard
Setting slips	Fingers pinched between slips
Setting back the kelly	Excess drilling mud released
Elevator attachment	Being pinched by the elevator
Latching elevators	Hands caught between elevator and stump
Monkeyboard work	Caught between pipe and other objects
Breaking out pipe	Being struck by slip handles and tongs
Pipe to racking area	toes crushed by pipe
Tripping in	hands caught between elevator and stump

Casing Operation

Multiple casings cemented together

Casing is used to line the well hole with pipe longer and bigger in diameter than the drill pipe. Casing operations happen periodically during drilling, with hazards similar to that of drilling or tripping. Gloves with impact protection help safeguard hands and are a key piece of PPE when running casing.

Here are four operational activities OSHA’s eTool identifies while casing. Next to each link, we list the potential hazard MCR Safety can assist in protecting against. Just click the link to start viewing the PPE options available to you.

Activity	Hazard
Casing tools installation	Being struck by tubulars
Running casing	Being struck or pinched by tongs or casing
Casing accessories installed	Fingers pinched between tools Dropping collar on foot
Circulating and cementing	Being struck by high-pressure lines

Maintenance Activities

Rig Floor

Oil and Gas Derrick

Maintenance is a constant activity on any drilling rig. Inspecting, adjusting, and servicing equipment on every part of the rig brings maintenance workers into contact with all kinds of possible hazards. The right PPE can prevent chemical exposure while cleaning out the mud circulating system or cuts from wickers or loose strands during wire rope maintenance.

Here are the seven activities OSHA’s eTool identifies as taking place during maintenance. Next to each link, we list the potential hazard MCR Safety can assist in protecting against. Just click the link to start viewing the PPE options available to you.

Activity	Hazard
Rig floor	Fingers and hands pinched in machine guards
Line maintenance	Eye injuries from flying metal when slipping and cutting line
Rope maintenance	Cuts from the wickers on rope
Mud circulating	Burns from fluid contact
Electrical	Flash burns
Engines	Burns from hot fluids Hot engine parts
Derrick maintenance	Being caught between equipment and objects

Well Control

Mud Flow

Hoses are used all across drilling operations

Keeping the right pressure in the rig to prevent blowouts is the vital job of well control workers. Monitoring and maintaining the mud circulatory system is an important part of this function, as is testing blowout preventers, accumulators, and the choke manifold.

Well control also includes maintaining the surface control system. Physically checking these components requires workers to navigate a veritable maze of pipes and protruding objects. Steel-toed PVC boots can help prevent foot impact injuries while also offering protection from chemical spills or hydraulic leaks.

Here are the five activities OSHA’s eTool identifies as being a part of well control. Next to each link, we list the potential hazard MCR Safety can assist in protecting against. Just click the link to start viewing the PPE options available to you.

Activity	Hazards
Blowout prevention	Drilling fluids
Monitoring and maintaining	Eye hazards during blowout
Installation	Fingers pinched
Bops, accumulators, and choke manifold	Being hit by hoses
Surface control	Protruding pipes and objects

Impact Protection

You’ve most likely noticed there are a lot of hazards in oil and gas drilling that require impact protection. The oil and gas industry has helped pioneer revolutionary impact protection and is now guided by the new ISEA/ANSI 138 Impact Standard. We have designed this guide to help you navigate the numerous glove options available to you, just click the image below.

Also, be sure to check out our blog on the Top 10 Most Popular Oil and Gas Gloves, Glasses, and Garments.

Drilling PPE

MCR Safety has the right PPE for every part of your drilling operation. From impact protection gloves to full-body fire-resistant garments, our gear can keep your employees safer. Just try to outwork us!

Do you have questions about MCR Safety’s oil industry PPE? Contact us! We’re happy to answer your questions and we’ll be happy to help you find the perfect PPE gear for your needs. For insight into all oil and gas sectors, be sure to check out our Oil and Gas Industry pages. Just click the image to learn more.

For over 40 years, MCR Safety has proven to be a world-leader in gloves, glasses, and garments. Whether it’s on a shop floor, an oil rig, or a construction site, we are there providing solutions to workplace hazards. We Protect People!

Learn more about MCR Safety by checking out our most recent video. For more information, browse our website, request a catalog, find a distributor, or give us a call at 800-955-6887.

Oil and Gas Impact Drilling OSHA eTool Oil and Gas Hazards