Oil and Gas Industries play a major role in countries. For instance, United Kingdom depends on these industries to supply almost 70% of the total power consumption. Thousands of people as well rely on the industry for a living. With still billions of barrels to extract, the industry offers a wide range of job openings. With thousands of workers, health and safety is the industry’s top priority. That is why most companies are constantly hiring health workers and safety personnel.
“Whilst health and safety is an important part of any industry, it has for many years been, and will always remain, our top priority”, said Robert Paterson, Health, Safety and Employment Issues Director at Oil and Gas UK.
Why the need?
The law requires employers to ensure the safety of their employees and anyone who can be affected. Jobs in the energy industry are not really safe to begin with, especially in the offshore oil companies. Many disasters happened over years, which are caused by accidents, negligence or incompetence. Some of the disaster became scars to the industry, never to be forgotten. One of the most remembered disaster was called The Piper Alpha disaster. On July 6, 1988, an explosion and resulting fire on North Sea Oil production platform took the lives of 167 men. The total loss was about £1.7 billion (US$3.4 Billion). Up-to-date, it is considered to be the worst offshore oil disaster.
Besides the risk of fire and explosions, workers also face a range of occupational health risks. Dermatitis and hearing loss are common risks of offshore oil drilling. Workers may also develop respiratory diseases and musculoskeletal disorders. Workers can become ill and unable to work and in some extreme cases, dies due to the complications. This is why health workers and safety personnel are very important. These workers protect the mental and physical health of others ensuring a safer workplace. They identify, assess and control health risk. They ensure that the others are fit to perform the job safely. If needed, they provide first aid and medical services. They also rehabilitate others after illness or injury.
NEBOSH Courses
Because of the growing need of safety personnel and health workers, some are willing to be trained to qualify to become one. Most companies require formal training and experience. NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) courses in UK have been developed to meet the need for special training and certification in the field of oil and gas operational safety. Courses by NEBOSH can be taken by interested individuals who want to engage in this kind of work. The NEBOSH course equips workers specialized safety training and know-how. Courses include risk management and handling emergency situations like fire and explosions. In addition, NEBOSH also offer international Certification and Diplomas thus accredited by almost every company. There are a lot of institutions that offers courses approved by NEBOSH for oil and gas operational safety. Courses can only not be taken in UK, but other countries as well. It can also be taken online. For oil and gas operational safety, the course last for about 35 hours of lecture and a minimum of 15 hours of private study. The cost of the course may range from £850 to £1000 depending on the location and detail.