Although recent reports indicate that occupational injuries and illnesses within the oil and gas industry are declining, the fatality rate remains an average of seven times higher than among U.S. workers in general.[1] While safety has always been paramount in protecting the well-being of oil and gas employees and their families, it’s more evident than ever that safety is also critical to ensuring the longevity of the industry.
First, sound safety practices can help attract younger talent to replace an aging workforce. An estimated 50 percent of current employees are tenured, with the majority retiring within the next five to seven years.[2] Yet 62 percent of teens aged 16-19 and 44 percent of young adults aged 20-35 say a career in oil and gas is unappealing; they view the industry as difficult, dangerous and harmful to society.[3]
Secondly, improving safety standards can also support sustainability goals. An obvious example would be preventing hazardous leaks and spills, which protects both workers and the environment. A less obvious example would be replacing in-person meetings between onsite and offsite workers with video conferencing, which reduces the CO2 emissions involved in travelling while minimizing the number of employees exposed to potentially risky work conditions.
Lastly, workplace injuries and illnesses have a major impact on an employer's bottom line. Improved safety practices can reduce associated direct and indirect costs, including:
- Workers’ compensation payments
- Medical expenses
- Legal fees
- Accident investigation
- Lost productivity
- Training replacement employees
- Repairs to damaged equipment and property
- Negative press
Advanced technology – enabled by cellular connectivity – can play a major role in improving oil and gas worker safety, as illustrated by the following use case.
Challenge:
Workers are constantly exposed to hazardous conditions, and current methods such as manual upkeep of maintenance logs and physical site inspections aren’t sufficient to keep them safe.
Solution:
A digitally enabled workforce using cellular connectivity to power digital wearables, cell phones and tablets can dramatically reduce the rate of incidents for oil and gas workers. For example, Ericsson partnered with RealWear to develop a connected headset for industrial frontline workers. It attaches to hardhats and gives workers on-demand, voice-controlled access to the information and expertise they need to complete any job task safely and efficiently. They can view step-by-step instructions and complete workflows while keeping their hands free to operate equipment, hold railings or climb a ladder. They can instantly call anyone in the world to report an incident or seek advice, and managers can analyze their work in real time.
Outcome:
Ubiquitous connectivity that ensures seamless interaction anywhere – in refineries or at onshore and offshore sites – results in reduced costs for travel, support and downtime; improved sustainability; and safer working conditions for employees.
Ericsson supports the digitally enabled workforce
Ericsson delivers the secure, private cellular network necessary for oil and gas operations to enhance worker safety with advanced technology. With our ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLL), high bandwidth, Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) and vast partner network, we help harness the power of cellular connectivity to optimize safety and business operations to protect the future of this vital industry.
[1] Krystal Mason, et al. “Occupational Fatalities During the Oil and Gas Boom — United States, 2003–2013.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 2015. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6420a4.htm
[2] Katherine Dunn. “The oil and gas industry has lost more than 100,000 jobs this year.” Fortune. October 2020. https://fortune.com/2020/10/05/oil-gas-jobs-transition-climate-coronavirus/
[3] “Young people hard to attract to work for oil and gas companies.” CSI Recruiting. June 2017. https://csirecruiting.com/young-people-hard-attract-work-oil-companies/
