Health & Safety

Work sites in the petroleum industry can harbour a whole host of hazards. The necessary equipment is big, heavy and often moving, and the substances involved can be toxic. Furthermore, as in any active environment, the situation and conditions can shift quickly, requiring split-second decision-making that may, or may not, address evolving demands.

In comparison to today’s work sites, the technology and standards governing drilling rigs of the 1920s, 30s and 40s offered numerous opportunities for accidents. Injuries such as crushed toes, severed fingers, lacerations and burns must have been common on many industrial work sites. Others, however, were particular to the nature of petroleum work. Not all derrick towers

could survive the onslaught of strong prairie winds and so might collapse or blow over. The primary ingredient of natural gas, methane, is explosive, and fires can be ignited merely by the normal action of drilling equipment. The pressure released by puncturing an unexpected pocket of gas deep in a well could blast a drill bit back up through the casing and towards the workers above with deadly consequences. Worse yet, the dangers inherent in this environment could be amplified by the working conditions faced by the drilling team. Rig workers often endured twelve-hour shifts, seven days a week. Long hours of tedious work could lead to fatigue or a lapse of attention, resulting in unexpected accidents and injuries.

The hydrogen sulfide lacing so much of Alberta’s gas gives rise to a separate set of safety issues for which the learning curve was initially steep. Some workers on the earliest drills in Turner Valley believed that holding their breath in the presence of sour gas or merely leaning away from a leaking valve would ensure their safety. One chronic consequence of the toxic compound was “gassed eyes,” referring to the tears and inflammation caused by gas accumulating in the moisture of the eyes. One driller compared the pain to having “thousands of needles in your eyes.” Even as understanding of the dangers of sour gas increased, rig workers remained careless: “I got gassed and fell off a tank

a few times. I probably should have been wearing a gas mask and didn’t. Too lazy, too much trouble,” recalled one Turner Valley worker. One early precaution taken against the stealthy effects of the invisible gas was to tie ropes around the waists of any who entered a well cellar:

All of a sudden, you had bells in your ears and you were down on the ground. So you’d wake up, you’d find yourself laying, looking at the stars. Your head would start ringing…your legs are like rubber....Couldn’t move. Someone had to drag you out.

By the 1950s, workers had an alternative to simply holding their breath as gas masks became mandatory on every rig.

Gradually, increased experience and developing technology brought improved conditions. Derricks made of steel, introduced in the 1920s, are less flammable and sturdier than wooden ones. Rotary rigs, common by the 1930s, are safer than cable rigs. Automated and remote-control equipment decreased the number of risks presented by manipulating heavy machinery and working amongst toxic substances.

The devil-may-care attitude that seemed

characteristic in the early days was slowly eroded by common sense, and by World War II the Alberta government began to enforce safety regulations. As the industry rapidly expanded after Leduc, safety became more emphasized. A combination of improved training, stricter regulations and more rigorous enforcement of those regulations has contributed to making drilling sites much safer with the prevention of accidents now being a priority.