Atmospheric Hazards

Atmospheric hazards are substances in the atmosphere that cause unsafe work conditions. Accident reviews conducted by OSHA indicate that atmospheric hazards cause the majority of deaths and injuries in confined spaces. According to OSHA, atmospheric hazards fall into the following three categories:

• Toxic - Workers may be exposed to hazardous chemicals
• Asphyxiating - There is not enough oxygen in the air to support an unprotected worker
• Flammable or explosive - There is the potential of ignition of flammable vapors or gases

In the oil and gas extraction industry, workers performing tasks in confined spaces are exposed to atmospheric hazards, such as the following:

• Oxygen deficiency
• Hydrogen sulfide
• Silica dust
• Carbon monoxide
• Methane
• Concentrations of combustible gas
• Welding fumes

When present in a confined space, different levels of some of these substances may pose different types of atmospheric hazards. For example, when methane displaces 10 percent of the atmosphere, a worker will be able to breathe without personal protective equipment; however, the methane may explode violently. When the level of methane reaches 90 percent displacement of the atmosphere, methane is no longer flammable or explosive, but an unprotected worker may asphyxiate within about five minutes of exposure.

To learn more about Oil & Gas Extraction visit our Oil & Gas Extraction Safety Online Training web page.