High-Pressure Lines and Compressed Gas & Air Equipment Hazards - Regulations

Employers in the oil and gas extraction industry must comply with the OSHA General Industry (29 CFR 1910) standards established in the following subparts:

• Subpart H - Hazardous materials
• Subpart M - Compressed gas and compressed air equipment
• Subpart O - Machinery and machine guarding

In addition to these federal standards, there are 28 OSHA-approved state plans. Employers should be aware that the state plans are required to be at least as effective as the federal OSHA guidelines. However, the state plans may have different or more stringent requirements.

Employers in oil and gas extraction operations should also pay close attention to the OSHA General Industry standards regarding welding, cutting, and brazing (29 CFR 1910 Subpart Q). The work environments in which welding, cutting, and brazing take place pose the combined threat of compressed gases and sources of ignition. This potentially deadly combination increases the risks of explosions, fires, and toxic gas releases.

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