Energy-Related Hazards - Regulations

Employers in the oil and gas extraction industry must comply with the OSHA General Industry - Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) standard (29 CFR 1910.147). This standard establishes regulations that protect workers who are exposed to energy-related hazards. This standard outlines measures to control hazardous energies, such as unexpected start-ups of machinery or accidental releases of stored energy. A key preventative measure required by this standard is the lockout/tagout process. (Lockout-tagout refers to the process of disabling machinery or equipment to prevent the release of hazardous energy while workers are performing service and maintenance activities.) Within the standard, oil and gas well drilling and servicing are specifically addressed in section 1910.147(a)(1)(ii)(E).

OSHA also provides comprehensive regulatory guidelines that specifically address how employers must protect their workers from electrical hazards. These regulations can be found in the Safety and Health Regulations for Construction, Subpart K - Electrical (29 CFR 1926 Subpart K).

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