Region 6 - Alliance Annual Report - October 15, 2008


ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
SOUTH TEXAS EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION SAFETY NETWORK (STEPS)
October 2008 through September 2009


  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed: Signed October 20, 2004 with the latest renewal signing October 15, 2008.

    Alliance Overview.

    The purpose of the STEPS Network / OSHA alliance is to establish a collaborative relationship to foster safer and more healthful workplaces in the oil and gas industry in South Texas through training, outreach, and communication.

    Implementation Team Members.

    Rick Ingram, BP America Production
    Bobby Baber, BP America Production
    Marianne McGee, OSHA
    Ted Reed, BJ Services
    Pat Marshall, SoTex Fuels

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    October 15, 2008 Following the STEPS meeting Person to person
    December 4, 2008 Following the Oil and Gas Conference Person to person
    March 18, 2009 Following the STEPS meeting Person to person
    May 20, 2009 Following the STEPS meeting Person to person
    July 15, 2009 Following the STEPS meeting Person to person
  3. Activities and Products

    Evaluation Period.

    October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009

    Alliance Activity.

    • Training and Education: The STEPS alliance has been effective in delivering hazard recognition training to its members throughout the South Texas Network. Approximately three informational training sessions are conducted at each monthly South Texas STEPS Network meeting. Topics include industrial hygiene in the oil and gas industry, crane safety, fall protection requirements, safety and health program development, driving safety, ergonomics and much more. An average of 65 people attend each monthly meeting.

      From the STEPS Network a workgroup was formed to address the possibility of developing a common orientation in order to reduce the redundancy required of contractors by the majors. Currently in order to work for any of the major oil companies a contractor is required to send his employees to a separate orientation for each of the majors. With the upcoming approval of the common orientation program, SafeLandUSA, the contractor will only have to attend one orientation program. SafeLandUSA was piloted in South Texas beginning January 2009 and is scheduled for nationwide rollout in January 2010. Additional details can be found at www.Safelandusa.org.

    • Outreach and Communication: The South Texas STEPS Network members have assisted in developing STEPS Networks in Oklahoma, New Mexico, West Texas, East Texas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Louisiana. Several existing groups have chosen to become part of the National STEPS Network in an effort to coordinate communications throughout the industry. Existing networks that have combined with the National STEPS Network include The Western Slope Safety Council (Colorado) and Western Wyoming Community College.

      Areas of future STEPS network development include Arkansas, Illinois, Pennsylvania/West Virginia, California, North Dakota, and Alaska.

    • Promoting the National Dialogue on Safety and Health: The STEPS Network has been effective in creating a large network of individuals and groups in the oil and gas industry. In an effort to bring the industry together as a whole and to serve as the communication source for the industry, the National STEPS Network has been formed and is currently in the process of developing a charter and by-laws and electing officers.

      The 1st OSHA Oil and Gas Conference was held in December 2008 in Houston Texas. Seven hundred and eighty attendees from throughout the nation attended this two day conference.

      A National STEPS Network website was developed by the South Texas group. The website currently lists the various STEPS networks and either a link to their website or contact information including their meeting dates, times, location and contact information.

  4. Results

    The STEPS Network/OSHA alliance has been very effective in creating an open dialogue between the oil and gas industry and OSHA as illustrated by the expansion of the network to other areas.

    The Compliance Assistance Specialist in the Corpus Christi Area Office was recently named to the NIOSH NORA Council for Oil and Gas Exploration and Production.

    Type of Activity (Conference, Training,
    Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)
    Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
    Training and outreach at the STEPS Network monthly meetings (12) Approximately 65 attendees at each meeting
    North Texas STEPS Network kickoff meeting (Fort Worth) 380 attendees
    1st OSHA Oil and Gas Conference 780 attendees
    Greater Houston STEPS Network kickoff meeting 270 attendees
    South Louisiana STEPS Network kickoff meeting 200 attendees
    Total: 2410
  5. Upcoming Milestones

    Members of the South Texas STEPS Network will be providing guidance and assistance in developing STEPS Networks in Illinois, Arkansas, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania in the upcoming year.

    The 2010 OSHA Oil and Gas Conference is scheduled for November 30 – December 1, 2010 in Dallas. Planning will continue throughout the year. South Texas STEPS members are on the Conference Planning Committee.

    Report Prepared by: Marianne McGee, Compliance Assistance Specialist, CCAO.

STEPS Network Activities for October 2008 to September 2009

October 15, 2008 STEPS meeting, resigning of alliance. Presentations: Industrial Hygiene in the Oil and Gas industry, CSB videos, and Conducting crane inspections.
October 30, 2008 North Texas STEPS kickoff meeting (NTEPS)
November 19, 2008 STEPS Meeting, fatality update. Presentations: machine guarding, Operation Lifesaver, Fall protection, and holiday safety
December 2-3, 2008 OSHA Oil and Gas Conference
December 4, 2008 National STEPS meeting in Houston
December 17, 2008 STEPS Meeting, fatality update. Presentations: OSHA website, SafeLand update, incident sharings.
January 9, 2009 Conference call for national STEPS website
January 14, 2009 Greater Houston STEPS planning meeting
January 18, 2009 STEPS Meeting, fatality update. Presentations: non-fatal statistics (Texas Dept of Insurance) and statistics for the drilling industry (IADC), Safety and Health Program evaluation (OSHCON).
February 18, 2009 STEPS Meeting, fatality update. Presentations: Positive attitude- a core safety principle, driving safety, ergonomics in the workplace.
February 25, 2009 Greater Houston STEPS planning conference call
March 5, 2009 South Louisiana STEPS planning conference call
March 18, 2009 STEPS Meeting, fatality update. Presentations: Scaffold safety, safety leadership, overhead crane inspections.
March 23, 2009 Greater Houston STEPS planning meeting
April 15, 2009 STEPS Meeting. Presentations: hurricane preparedness, anatomy of an accident, severe weather, the Challenge program.
May 14, 2009 Greater Houston STEPS Network kickoff meeting
May 20, 2009 STEPS Meeting, fatality update. Presentations: heat stress, hazard recognition, oilfield crimes and the Energy Crime Stopper Program, and wildlife
June 17, 2009 STEPS Meeting, fatality update. Presentations: Hazard ID through BBS, prevention of hand and finger injuries, and machine guarding.
July 2, 2009 South Louisiana STEPS planning conference call
July 15, 2009 STEPS Meeting, fatality update. Presentations: Return to work program, case management.
August 19, 2009 STEPS Meeting. Presentations: personnel transfer over water, hydrogen sulfide and respiratory protection, well servicing statistics, boating safety.
September 1, 2009 AESC and BJ Services met with BP industrial hygienist to review heat stress studies and best practices.
September 16, 2009 STEPS Meeting. Presentations: Cut and puncture resistant gloves and lone worker concerns and applications.
September 17, 2009 South Louisiana STEPS Network kickoff meeting.
September 24, 2009 STEPS conference call
September 30, 2009 STEPS network planning meeting with North Dakota OSHA office.