RigPass training covers a myriad of topics leading to the San Antonio SafeLand certification. Wearing proper hand protection and avoiding hazards is important because a hand injury can be disabling. When a worker returns to San Antonio or other towns in South Texas to perform day to day non-work activities such as shopping, driving, and recreating, healthy use of the hands remains important for those activities. There are several areas in the South Texas oilfields where hands may be injured and moving machinery is notorious for devouring limbs and digits. Training for hand protection is one of these oilfield training topics included in the SafeLand class for South Texas oil and gas workers.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
The personal protective equipment, PPE, listed for hand protection includes gloves. Oilfield gloves are designed to protect the hands and skin from harsh and dangerous conditions. Some of these conditions can include:
- Chemicals
- Electricity
- Abrasion
- Heat and Cold
- Other physical shock and impact
As with all PPE, however, gloves will have limitations to the extent which they can protect from these hazards and the proper glove must be selected for each hazard. Additionally, each worker must be properly trained, and the PPE regularly inspected for defects and wear.
PREVENTION
It is important to train that gloves, like all PPE, should be considered a “last resort” protection as they do have limitations. Other methods to protect the hands include considering hand placement, movement, and locating pinch points. The mantra for those working the iron is that when it is iron versus flesh then iron always “wins.” While gloves may reduce the severity of some hand injuries in South Texas, the chance of losing a limb or digit due to being caught in or struck by moving equipment remains.
OTHER FACTORS
There are other reasons to wear gloves while working on the rig and some of these are trained during SafeLand classes in San Antonio. One reason includes the enhanced ability of gloves to grip, especially in slippery conditions. Another factor is the ability to keep the hands comfortable in adverse environments. As mentioned above, the RigPass program tests to ensure that students understand that there are limits to what personal protective equipment can do, and care procedures that must be followed for it to provide protection.
Recommended Training: South Texas SafeLand
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