The drilling profession involves dangerous situations and the potential for catastrophic accidents and injuries. Consistent safety practices should be expected from every member of the crew, from the owner to the foreman, the tool pushers to the rig operators. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Here are some ways to ensure good choices from your drilling operation team.
- Promote safety in practice as well as on paper. Crew members know the correct procedures for many dangerous tasks, but sometimes they feel the regulations aren’t appropriate for being in the field. Discourage your crew from thinking that there are different rules on paper and in “the real world.” It only takes one time performing an unsafe act to break equipment, cause an accident or worse, so team members need to make good choices every time.
- Lead by example. Through the years, regulations and safety procedures have evolved. New practices may involve more or more advanced steps, but every crew member needs to follow the proper procedures to keep the entire team safe. It’s essential that senior crew members and foremen teach proper techniques, even if they were trained to do things differently.
- Call out bad choices immediately. When a crew member is seen doing something unsafe, putting off correction only reinforces the bad behavior. Just because nothing happened at the time doesn’t mean the next time won’t be catastrophic. Unsafe practices need to be addressed swiftly and immediately, as many times as necessary to help create good habits that become second nature and ensure site safety.
Every time drilling professionals are in the field there is opportunity for a teaching moment. By discouraging bad choices on site and reinforcing the good choices you will build a safe and efficient crew that will ensure proper safety practices for every member, on every job.
If you have questions or would like to discuss your drilling operation’s needs, contact us at [email protected], call 800-338-9925 to talk to one of our knowledgeable sales and support team members, or request a free quote through our Contact page.
