The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an agency of the US Department of Labour, has issued Covid-19 guidance for oil and gas workers.
The guidance requires companies to implement social distancing protocols at workplaces, ensure adequate ventilation, provide protective gear to workers and implement staggered timings to reduce contagion risks.
OSHA advised that employers with workers in the oil and gas sector should stay alert to changing conditions, and implement necessary virus control measures accordingly.
The Covid-19 guidance includes information with respect to work deferment requiring close contact with others.
According to OSHA, implementation of appropriate engineering, administrative and work practice controls, and use of appropriate personal protective equipment are also included under the guidance.
Employers are responsible for providing safe workplaces to their employees, as per the ‘Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970’.
The oil and gas sector reportedly lost nearly 51,000 drilling and refining jobs in March 2020 amid the ongoing coronavirus Covid-19 crisis. The 9% reduction is likely to get worse after oil prices went negative.
