A recent American Petroleum Institute (API) Workplace Safety Report (WSR) by the U.S. Oil and Natural Gas Industry compares the safety statistics of the oil and gas industry to that of the broader private sector. The report finds that the employees of the oil and natural gas industry experience injuries and illnesses at a rate substantially below the U.S. private sector due to industry practices and commitment to safety. In an API press release, Debra Phillips, vice president of API Global Industry Services (GIS) said:
“Safety has always been paramount to the natural gas and oil industry. As this report demonstrates, the industry’s leading workplace safety record reflects our commitment to safe and healthy working environments. With strong industry leadership, we continue to enhance our approach to training, prevention and continuous improvement – incorporating advanced technologies, materials and practices as we strive toward our industry-wide goal of zero incidents.”
As the API report details, safety is important to the oil and natural gas industry, and at Cabot, safety is at the core of our culture.
As an industry leader, Cabot places a high value on conducting our business with respect and care for people and the environment and keeping safety at the forefront of our operations. Exemplary safety performance is an integral part of Cabot’s business plan and contributes to our goal of promoting the safety, security and well-being of our employees, our contractors and local communities, while also maintaining the quality of the environment where we work.
Cabot encourages the professional development of their EHS team by promoting the attainment of nationally or state recognized accreditations, such as the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Registered Environmental Manager (REM) from the National Registry of Environmental Professionals, Professional Engineers and Professional Geologists from the applicable certifying state agencies.
Occupational Safety
Cabot provides the necessary resources to employees and contractors to perform their job safely, effectively and efficiently. Through education and on-the-job mentoring, our employees are aware of potential hazards associated with the job, equipped with the appropriate tools to assess and mitigate hazards, and empowered to make the best decisions that will keep themselves and their co-workers safe.
At a minimum, Cabot holds monthly safety meetings to provide the required Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) education and refresher courses, as well as to promote industry best management practices.
Cabot holds regional quarterly contractor meetings to discuss environmental, health, and safety (EHS) performance metrics and trends, risk mitigation and incident prevention techniques. We frequently invite subject matter experts and local regulatory agencies to present on EHS related topics. The sharing of risk mitigation and prevention techniques with our contractors helps prevent incidents from occurring.
Contractor Safety
Specialized services occur on many of our worksites and contractors are a critical part of the Cabot workforce. Our expectation is that contractors will operate under the same high standards as Cabot employees. The contractor safety program involves screening, contractual obligations, on-site education and ongoing monitoring. All of Cabot’s contractors execute a Master Service Agreement (“MSA”), which contractually obligates them to review and comply with Cabot’s Safety and Compliance Manual. In addition, the MSA requires contractors to comply with Cabot’s environmental and safety policies and procedures and to make any recommended changes to their own policies and procedures to conform with such requirements. The MSA also requires contractors to immediately report to Cabot all details of any injury, near miss, property damage and/or environmental impact and to fully cooperate in remediation activities in order to restore and protect the environment.
Stephen Watson, certified safety professional, and Cabot senior environmental, health and safety specialist, organizes the contractor safety meetings and maintains that “Cabot’s success relies heavily on using quality contractors who have a strong work ethic and are committed to being safe both on and off the job.”
Overall, Cabot is committed to maintaining a safe environment for our workforce, as we responsibly develop oil and natural gas that will fuel our economy and modern life. From expecting the best out of our employees and contractors, ensuring safe operations is a keystone of our culture.
Watson adds. “By maintaining a safe work environment and promoting a strong safety culture, Cabot’s greatest measure of success is knowing that everyone returned safely home at the end of the day.”
