According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), contact with electricity continues to be a leading cause of workplace fatalities.
- Multiple fatalities in the past few years across the energy industry have been linked with hazards associated with Overhead Line Safety.
Why it matters: Continued development of electrification across our fields increases the risk for these hazards, and it is imperative that all workers in the industry are familiar with the steps to prevent and react to electrical contact.
Taking action: To promote safe work practices across the industry, bpx energy and ConocoPhillips have partnered to develop an overhead line safety awareness campaign.
The campaign’s initial phase features a new safety poster that emphasizes the dangers of overhead line strikes and preventive measures:
• Look Up: Avoid contact with overhead lines.
• Stay Away: Keep equipment clear of power lines. Respect the hazard. If contact occurs, try to break it immediately.
• Stay Alive: If unable to break contact and not at immediate risk from fire or smoke, stay put and warn others to stay away. If you need to move, jump clear and shuffle or hop away, then muster safely.
This collaboration is ongoing, with plans to deliver more resources to reinforce the learnings in the upcoming months.
Next steps: Download the poster from this email or the Onshore Safety Alliance Resource Library. Share the resource with your colleagues, contractors, and industry partners.
Remember, safety is everyone’s responsibility, and we all have a role to play in preventing accidents and injuries.
