Safety is key in the oil and gas industry. People who work in petroleum extraction face incredible risks every day — more than the average American worker by far. The good news is, you can take safety training courses to gain the skills and knowledge you need to implement safety protocols for your workforce.

The right petroleum safety training certificates can boost your resume and ensure you’re ready to handle the dangers of the job. Some programs will be more comprehensive than others, and some can leave you lacking in certain categories. Invest in the right safety programs to keep your team as safe as possible.

Petroleum Safety Certificates

Several types of training programs exist that can equip you for your line of work, whatever sector of the gas and oil industry you find yourself in. Here are some of the petroleum industry safety courses that you can take to achieve certificates through the National Association of Safety Professionals (NASP):

– Hydrogen Sulfide Safety (HST): We designed the HST Train-the-Trainer course for safety professionals who will be training and educating others on the use of hydrogen sulfide and the hazards of exposure to it. This course will prepare you to instruct others on every aspect of hydrogen sulfide, including where to find it and how to detect it. You can expect to spend 16 contact hours on this course.

– Petroleum Safety Specialist (PSS) for Pipeline Systems: The Pipeline Systems PSS course identifies hazards and solutions regarding pipeline work. This course offers knowledge on pipeline technology and systems, underground storage methods, emergency response procedures and more petroleum safety skills. You can expect to invest approximately 24 hours in completing this course.

– Petroleum Safety Manager & Administrator (PSMA) for Pipeline Systems: The PSMA Pipeline Systems course covers a wide range of management skills and expert knowledge for safety professionals in the field. This course will help you gain knowledge to stay current in the latest industry standards, protocols and regulations. It takes around 40 hours to complete.

– Refinery Series PSS: The Refinery Series PSS course provides valuable instructions to reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities while participating in various refinery processes. After taking this course, you will be able to identify hazardous wastes and know how to implement an emergency action plan, among other valuable skills. This course takes approximately 24 hours to complete.

– Refinery Series Safety Manager & Administrator (PSMA): The Refinery Series PSMA course will prepare petroleum safety managers for work related to the refinery process. It will help keep you up-to-date with the latest safety information to better prepare you for leading your teams safely and efficiently. The course takes around 40 hours to complete.

– Drilling and Servicing PSS: The Drilling and Servicing PSS course gives oil and gas safety professionals the knowledge to avoid injuries or fatalities when performing actions related to drilling and servicing in the petroleum industry. It will also shed light on procedures involving plugging and abandoning wells. The course takes around 24 hours to complete.

– Drilling and Servicing Petroleum Safety Manager and Administrator (PSMA): The Drilling and Servicing PSMA course prepares team leaders for various activities involving drilling and servicing, specifically handling any malfunctions or issues that could arise. This course takes around 40 hours to complete.

Oil and Gas Field Worker Safety and Compliance

If you’ve been working for the petroleum industry for any length of time, then you know about the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This government organization aims to make the workplace as safe as possible for people across all industries. And when it comes to the petroleum industry, which has particular dangers and risks to consider, the need for safety is of the utmost priority. OSHA’s regulations make achieving a safer work environment in the petroleum industry easier.

The OSH Act of 1970, which established the administration, also established some basic labor safety laws that are still crucial to adhere to today. While this act does not specifically state that employers must provide safety and health information to employees, it states in Section 5(a)(2) that employers must work with employees to achieve a safer working environment by following the standards set forth within the OSH Act of 1970. If you take the time to read the entire act, you’ll soon discover that a considerable portion of it involves training requirements.

As a safety professional in the oil and gas industry, it’s your responsibility to lead your workforce so they can better face potential hazards on the job. After receiving the right training, you can help your workers understand the policies, procedures and equipment needed to address hazards as they arise. You can also help your organization keep clean records documenting employee training and understanding of the safety protocol you set forth.

Importance of Oil and Gas Safety Training

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported in 2015 that the fatality rate of the gas and oil industry was an average of seven times higher than other United States workers across industries. To put this into perspective, 25.1 deaths per 100,000 workers occur in the oil and gas industry compared to 3.7 deaths per 100,000 in other industries. The need for proper safety training is essential in the oil, gas and petroleum extraction industry.

Undergoing safety training is important for three reasons:

1. Personal safety: Your own safety and your ability to help other workers stay safe is the number one reason for training. The stats above show the real need for proper safety training and practices for gas and oil industry workers. You owe it to yourself and your team to stay healthy and safe.

2. Confident productivity: Confident workers are productive workers. Having the right oil and gas safety training could help you be more productive as you navigate daily operations. When you receive the proper safety training, you show that you care about everyone’s safety and want to help make your workplace a safer place to be. Your team will be more confident in their work because of it, too.

3. Regulation compliance: Receiving proper oil and gas safety training is an essential part of staying regulation-compliant. Avoid citations or fees by making sure you receive the training you need to appease OSHA’s regulations.

Purchase NASP’s Petroleum Safety Courses

NASP provides the practical approach to workplace safety. We have a full list of online courses that can prepare you for safe, efficient activity while at work. Worker safety in the oil and gas industry is of the utmost importance. Invest in your team’s and your own wellbeing and stay regulation-compliant with our high-quality, educational courses.

Contact us today for more information, and be sure to follow our blog for the latest on workplace safety and online courses. We look forward to helping you achieve greater workplace safety in the petroleum, oil and gas industry with our petroleum safety courses.