Page 12 - OHS, July/August 2024

OIL & GAS
Rising Risks: Heat-related Fatalities and Hospitalizations in the
U.S. Upstream Oil and Gas Extraction Industry
As summer temperatures rise, the threat of heat-related illness and death to oil and gas workers increases.
BY BRADLEY KING, PHD, MPH, CIH
Oil and gas extraction (OGE) workers have the potential to be exposed to extreme heat conditions. Particularly in areas where OGE activi- ties are extensive such as southern or western Texas (i.e., the Eagle Ford Shale and the Permian Basin, respectively), summer tempera-
tures can routinely exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). These workers perform physically demanding outdoor work over 12 or more hours per 24-hour shift, increasing the potential for exposure to heat stress conditions.
Studying Heat Risks in OGE Workers
A recent study1 by investigators at the National Institute for Occupational Safe- ty and Health (NIOSH) highlighted the toll that heat stress and a combination of related factors have on the health and safety of workers in the upstream OGE industry in the United States. In the study, NIOSH scientists analyzed two da- tabases to learn more about serious heat-related illnesses experienced by OGE workers and factors that may increase the risk for such illness.
To identify potential heat-related fatalities, the scientists used the NIOSH Fatalities in Oil and Gas Extraction (FOG) Database2. This database collects detailed information about OGE worker fatalities from the years 2014–2019. Data on these fatalities are pulled from Occupational Safety and Health Ad- ministration (OSHA) reports, autopsy and medical reports, media coverage, and other sources. Cases of environmental exposures in which ‘heat’, ‘hot’, and ‘temperature’ were mentioned were identified and reviewed for evidence that the fatalities were caused by heat. If available, data extracted included worker demographics, recorded ambient and core body temperatures, physi- cal activities preceding the fatality, heat-related symptoms, new employee sta- tus, evidence of heat-stress training, and other occupational risk factors such as positive post-mortem drug results from toxicology screens.
In addition to the NIOSH FOG database, the scientists also used the OSHA Severe Injury Report Database3 to examine trends among worker hospitaliza- tions due to heat. The database includes information on severe work-related injuries reported to OSHA, including incident descriptions (e.g., date, loca- tion, North American Industrial Classification System [NAICS] code, and the source and nature of the injury). Cases of hospitalization due to temperature extremes or environmental heat among OGE company types were identified for the timeframe beginning in January 2015 through May 2021.
Analyzing the Data: Fatalities and Hospitalizations
Among cases in the FOG database, nine heat-related fatalities were identified. Symptoms experienced by these individuals prior to their death included loss of consciousness, mental status changes, seizures, delirium, and/or agitation. Of these nine fatalities,
■ nine (100 percent) were male ranging in age from 19-67 years, with most under the age of 50,
■ nine (100 percent) were well servicing workers (NAICS 213112),
■ eight (89 percent) occurred in Texas (the state with the majority of oil and gas activity during 2014-2019),
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■ eight (89 percent) had moderate, heavy, or very heavy physical activity Occupational Health & Safety | JULY/AUGUST 2024
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