IPIECA-IOGP, the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues, has collaborated with the Drugs and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA) to develop program elements that can be used to deter the use or misuse of drugs and alcohol in the workplace.

Six workers were injured – four critically – by a fire last week at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Some workers at oil and gas sites where fracking occurs are routinely exposed to high levels of benzene, a colorless gas that can cause cancer, according to a study by NIOSH.

More than half a million of the U.S. population works in the oil and gas industries. These workers are exposed to hazardous working conditions most of the time. Though many companies are taking responsible steps to eradicate all possible dangers in the oil and gas rigs, there are many fatalities that have become a part of the industry now.

Jared Smith has worked with contractor vetting for decades through Avetta, the supply chain management company he co-founded. He spoke with ISHN after he had watched the film Deepwater Horizon and discussed his thoughts on the movie.

In response to expectations that the oil industry report on climate change issues, the international global oil and gas industry association IPIECA has developed a new Climate Change Reporting Framework.

A new grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has begun fulfilling its mission of providing funding to help communities improve their response to hazardous materials transportation incidents.

Hollywood spent $110 million on this film, which isn’t unusual for a disaster pic. But this film, directed by Peter Berg (“Friday Night Lights,” “Lone Survivor”) and starring Mark Wahlberg, is different. The disaster, a spectacular exercise in film-making involving literally hundreds of special effects and digital artists, is secondary in the plot to the muddy, nuts-and-bolts work of a very dangerous blue collar environment.

With unprotected nip and pinch points being prevalent in many workplaces, it comes as no surprise that many workers suffer hand injuries. Hand injuries range from minor scratches and fractures to catastrophic injuries such as amputation, loss of digits, or degloving accidents.

The oil and gas industry is a demanding, dangerous field. According to NIOSH, it has a fatality rate that’s more than seven times higher than the rate for all U.S. workers.