Fatal Injuries in Offshore Oil and Gas Operations — United States, 2003–2010

During 2003–2010, the U.S. oil and gas extraction industry (onshore and offshore, combined) had a collective fatality rate seven times higher than for all U.S. workers (27.1 versus 3.8 deaths per 100,000 workers). The 11 lives lost in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion provide a reminder of the hazards involved in offshore drilling. This article reports data from a study undertaken to identify risk factors to offshore oil and gas extraction workers. In this study, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), a comprehensive database of fatal work injuries, for the period 2003–2010. This report describes the results of that analysis, which found that 128 fatalities in activities related to offshore oil and gas operations occurred during this period. Transportation events were the leading cause (65 [51%]); the majority of these involved aircraft (49 [75%]). Nearly one-fourth (31 [24%]) of the fatalities occurred among workers whose occupations were classified as "transportation and material moving." The authors conclude that, to reduce fatalities in offshore oil and gas operations, employers should ensure that the most stringent applicable transportation safety guidelines are followed.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6216a2.htm
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01492195
• Authors:
  • Gunter, Matthew M
  • Hill, Ryan D
  • O'Connor, Mary B
  • Retzer, Kyla D
  • Lincoln, Jennifer M
• Publication Date: 2013-4-26

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 301-304
• Serial:
  • Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
  • Volume: 62
  • Issue Number: 16
  • Publisher: Department of Health and Human Services
  • ISSN: 0149-2195
  • EISSN: 1545-861x
  • Serial URL: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft; Demographics; Fatalities; Injuries; Injury severity; Occupational safety; Offshore drilling platforms; Offshore platforms; Risk management; Transportation safety
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Pipelines; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor; I84: Personal Injuries; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01485084
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 27 2013 9:17AM