Frontline Winter 2016 Issue by Energy Safety Canada

WINTER

2016

ISSUE

SAFETY IN ACTION

Cover story

FIRST RESPONDERS

REACTION TIME

Intelligent gear

5 EMERGENCIES 5 RESPONSES

Safe company

Doing the right thing if things go wrong

COMPLIMENTARY COPY

BUILD THE EMERGENCY KIT YOU NEED TAKING SAFETY TO ANOTHER LEVEL

RAISE YOUR HAND FOR SAFETY 100% effort. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what Canadians expect from us.

In fact, in 2013 alone, more than $1.4 billion was spent on pipeline safety across Canada. As we move our energy to new markets we will never stop working to protect our Not actors. Real Canadians.

environment, our people and our communities. Think oil and natural gas developed the Canadian way is good for Canada? Then now is the time to say so at

energycitizens.ca

ENFORM.CA

SAFETY IN ACTION

WINTER 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PUBLISHED BY

4 President & CEO Cameron MacGillivray Vice President, Communications & PetroLMI Carol Howes Manager, Communications Amy Krueger Editor Terry Bullick, Bullick Communications Design, Production & Project Management Kylie Henry & Katherine Stewart, Studio Forum Inc.

Contributors Jennifer Allford, Beaver Drilling, Lavonne Boutcher, Brian Burton, Mike Fisher, Anne Georg, Doug Horner, Steven Hughes, Larry MacDougal, Scott Rollans, Amy Sawchenko, Jason Stang, Frankie Thornhill Printing McAra Printing, Calgary, Alta.

Statements, opinions and viewpoints expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of Enform. Copyright 2016 by Enform. Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement #40006922 For advertising rates or for consent to reprint or redistribute content in the publication, contact Enform at: communications@enform.ca. Head Office: 5055 - 11 Street NE, Calgary, Alta, T2E 8N4 P 403.516.8000Â | F 403.516.8166

ON AND OFF THE JOB

REACTION TIME

Preparation reduces panic

5 LIFELINES

Arrive alive Spot the hazards Good times, bad times The weekend warrior syndrome

FIVE EMERGENCIES, FIVE RESPONSES 22 SAFE COMPANY

SHIFT YOUR WORK

Taking safety

Working alone

to another level

INTELLIGENT GEAR

COVER STORY: FIELD NOTES

Build the emergency kit you need

First responders

12 NATURAL CAN BE HAZARDOUS

Fire

Enrolment Services & Certificate of Recognition: 1.800.667.5557 enform.ca

28 ENFORM Q & A

Oilpatch air travel, safe at any size

30 HOME SAFE

To read this publication online visit enform.ca

Learning to live without fear after a heart attack

ON THE COVER

First responders: from left to right, Jason Worsnop, Matthew J. Maitre, Phillip Marasco and Brandi Sandquist were photographed in High River by Jason Stang. See story on page 25.

To learn more about your safety and what Enform is doing to help you protect yourself, follow us on

Frontline Winter 2016

On and off the job

PREPARATION REDUCES PANIC The size of an emergency is often directly linked to how well prepared you are for it. A flat tire is usually no big deal when you have a spare and a jack. A two-hour delay in a snowstorm is relatively painless as long as you topped up the gas tank and have a couple of blankets. Whether you work at a wellsite, gas plant or pipeline operation, dealing with an emergency is much more effective when everyone on-site knows exactly what to do. Several stories in this issue of Frontline revolve around preparing for and responding to emergencies of all descriptions. At home, work, play, and on the road. As anyone in the business of dealing with emergencies will tell you, preparing for them will reduce panic. And panic can be more harmful than the emergency itself. The more prepared you are, the lower the risk of injury and loss of life and property—whatever the situation. By law, where you work must have an emergency response plan to rescue or evacuate people on the job. And your company has probably spent lots of time making sure you know that plan. You can do the same for your family and home. An annual “emergency drill” will make sure your family knows what to do if there’s a fire, flood or other crisis. And will help protect what's important in your life.

Cameron MacGillivray Enform President & CEO

enform.ca

LIFELINES

Highway tips WRITTEN BY JENNIFER ALLFORD

Highways 63 and 881 near Fort McMurray, Alta. are two of the most notorious highways in Canada’s oilpatch. Crowded, dangerous and flat-out deadly, the roads are being twinned and the government expects to have 240 kilometres completed by the fall of 2016. Meanwhile, some concerned citizens have formed the Highway 63 Coalition and are encouraging drivers to take a safety pledge, posted at safer63and881.com. The coalition also recommends these tips for driving on highways 61 and 881 and any other road you may travel.

CHECK ROADS

Check the road conditions before you hit the road.

BE PREPARED

Always pack warm clothes, a charged cellphone and a charger. You may not need them, but if you do, they could save your life.

CLEAR VISION

Clean your windshield, windows and headlights to make sure you can see the road and other drivers can see you.

FILL UP

Hit the gas station to make sure your tank is at least half full. That will prevent your fuel line from freezing in cold Canadian winters and ensure you don’t run out of gas.

SLOW DOWN

If you’re driving at night, slow down. You can only see as far as your headlights shine, and slowing down gives you more time to react if you have to stop.

Frontline Winter 2016

Picture this

Road risks

SPOT THE HAZARDS Slips, trips and falls are major causes of injuries in the oilpatch. Looking out for the hazards that cause them will help you keep your footing and balance and, most importantly, keep you on the job. How many slip, trip and fall hazards can you find in this illustration? ILLUSTRATION BY STEVEN HUGHES

Clue: We counted eight.

Whatever the time, date or place, if you’re not buckled up, you’re four times more likely to be hurt in a crash than someone who’s wearing a seatbelt.

Top three causes of collisions and injuries: #1 Following too closely #2 Driving off the road #3 Improper left turn.

Long weekends can be deadly. On Canada Day 2012, 15 people died driving in Alberta.

Your chances of crashing are highest in the afternoon rush hour. Nearly 28 per cent of all vehicle collisions happen between 3 and 7 p.m.

GOOD TIMES, BAD TIMES

When it comes to being on the road, when you drive can be as important as how you drive. Consider these stats:

One in five drivers killed behind the wheel had been drinking alcohol.

Most collisions happen on Fridays, but most fatal collisions happen on Saturdays.

More injury collisions happen in December, over the holidays, than any other time of the year.

The highest number of fatal collisions happen in June and September.

SPOT THE HAZARDS ANSWERS: 1. Worker jumping from truck trailer. 2. Fluids on rig mat. 3. Sloppy footwear—untied shoelace and flapping boot tongue. 4. Muck and dirt on rig mat. 5. Scattered pipe on rig mat. 6. Burned out light. 7. Leaking drums. 8. Uneven rig mats.

enform.ca

Surviving Saturday & Sunday

LIFELINES

IF YOU WALK OUT OF WORK ON FRIDAY AND LIMP BACK IN ON MONDAY, YOU MAY HAVE

THE WEEKEND WARRIOR SYNDROME

It's the weekend and you're ready to go hard. Hockey, soccer, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, kickboxing - you've got big plans. But your weekend warrior activities can kick back: a recent Calgary study found your chances of injuries go up on Saturdays and Sundays. The researchers described weekend warriors as people who go out and go hard on weekends but don’t do much physical activity during the week.

To avoid crashing, falling, colliding or otherwise injuring yourself while getting physical over the weekend, make sure you’re well rested and have the energy and strength you need for that hockey game or motocross ride. Also make sure you have the skill to tackle that rock face or snowshoe trail. And, don’t try to make up for not doing 30 minutes of exercise Monday through Friday by doing a whole week’s worth of activity on Saturday.

Frontline Winter 2016

Shift your work

WORKING ALONE IT IS BETTER TO BE CAREFUL ONE HUNDRED TI MES THAN TO GET KILLED ONCE. MARK TWAIN

YOU’RE ALL GROWN UP, RIGHT? NOT AFRAID OF THE DARK. NOT AFRAID TO GET THE JOB DONE. NOT AFRAID OF WORKING ALONE. BUT HANG ON A MINUTE. “If it can’t be done safely, we don’t do it,” says Brad Gushlak, an environment, health and safety manager with Encana, of his company’s approach. That includes working alone.

CODE ALONE In Canada’s oilpatch, lots of jobs are solitary: instrumentation, pipeline maintenance, mechanical and driving. The Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code has dedicated rules for anyone working alone, which is defined as no one’s readily available to help you when you need it. These rules also mean whomever you’re working with has to assess and reduce all hazards and give you a way to check in regularly.

ON THE ROAD Going solo? Take some tips from professional truck drivers: I nspect your vehicle each time you get into it. arry a first-aid kit, fire extinguisher, toolkit, C emergency clothing and blanket, candles and flares. Winter also calls for a snow shovel, boots, snacks and drinking water. K eep cellphones and radios charged and in good working order.

enform.ca

CHECKING IN The check-in interval in the oilpatch is every two hours. “It’s not whether you think you should do it or you want to do it. It’s the law,” Gushlak says. “And it makes total sense.” Plus, technology has made it easier. Gone are the days when workers had to find a phone every two hours to call in. Gushlak says Encana uses two check-in systems. One system sounds a reminder on a worker’s cellphone. If the worker fails to send an all-clear answer within 15 minutes, a monitoring company calls to check the worker’s status. If there’s no answer, first responders are dispatched immediately to the cellphone’s GPS location. For more remote sites, Encana uses satellite communications in vehicles and personal safety monitors (PSMs) that workers carry. If workers stop moving, their motion-sensor monitor sends a signal to the truck that’s relayed to first responders.

STUCK ALONE “It’s a little more costly, but it works everywhere," Gushlak says of the satellite setup. “But it only works if people use it.” Encana, he says, was careful to choose systems that employees rated as hassle free.

A visible light can be kilometres away but doesn’t guarantee someone is around it. It’s usually best to stay with your vehicle.

Lots of companies monitor workers’ use of such systems by reviewing monthly electronic records from cellphones and PSMs. So fudging it doesn’t wash.

If you’re stuck in snow, always check that your tailpipe is clear before running the engine. A snow-plugged exhaust can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

At the same time, Patrick Delaney, the vice president of health and safety with the Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC), says it’s important for both workers and managers to remember work is fluid.

Save fuel with candles. Burning a candle can keep your vehicle’s cabin warm and give off light.

“Situations can very quickly go from working with someone to working alone,” Delaney says. That’s why everyone needs to think about potential hazards and workers need to be equipped to respond.

GO THE EXTRA MILE BY:

Know when and where you’ll be alone. Know the potential risks and how to avoid them. Have the gear you need—and know how to use it.

Let someone know where you’ll be, what you’re doing and when you’re expected back. (Notes and emails left for the next shift may not be read until it’s too late.)

Have a way of calling in regularly and in case of an emergency.

A ssess your route’s risks (snow, fog, rain, construction, wildlife and the like) before setting out. B e alert—if you’re tired, a short sleep is better than a permanent one. ake breaks—you can get some air and check your T vehicle again.

BE READY TO BE ALONE Here’s how you can be prepared for tackling any job on your own:

If you get stuck on the road alone, attempting to walk for help can be deceptive.

Derek Tisdale of the Canadian Association of Geophysical Contractors (CAGC) says most of his association’s members have strict rules about avoiding situations where anyone is working solo. Tisdale says the biggest single exposure to danger foremployees with geophysical companies is crew change, when people are driving to and from a worksite, both alone and in groups. Delaney notes that your vehicle is a work location and driving on a dark rural road can be especially hazardous after a long day or in bad weather.

C heck sites before driving onto them; make sure you can get out again.

BUDDY UP When you can, reduce the risk of working alone by taking someone with you. Even when the job itself only needs one person. Other sound safety advice: work with your team to schedule multiple jobs at the same location and same time, so that two or more people are on site. WRITTEN BY BRIAN BURTON

Frontline Winter 2016

Intelligent gear

BUILD THE EMERGENCY KIT YOU NEED WRITTEN BY DOUG HORNER

PHOTOGRAPHED BY AMY SAWCHENKO

Think of it as insurance for when disaster strikes

enform.ca

“People buy house insurance in case they have a flood or a fire. They buy car insurance in case they have a car accident. Preparing an emergency kit is no different from having another type of insurance", says Debra Molesworth, a training coordinator for disaster management at the Canadian Red Cross. Figuring out your emergency kit depends on where you are and what you’re doing. For both ideas and sound advice, Public Safety Canada’s website, getprepared.gc.ca, is a reliable source. To get you going, Frontline offers these tips on making your own emergency kit.

1 VEHICLE

True story: people have been stuck in their vehicles for three days and lived to tell about it. That’s just one reason Public Safety Canada recommends carrying enough gear in the trunk or back seat to survive for 72 hours.

2 OUTDOOR ADVENTURE If you’re day tripping in the backcountry (on foot, ATV or snowmobile), what you carry in your emergency kit will vary. The items shown here are a starting point; your kit can evolve with each trip.

3 WORKSITE From roughnecks and engineers to accountants and land agents, Canadian oil and gas workers operate in all kinds of places. Take Cenovus, for example. The emergency kits in its head offices in downtown Calgary are worlds apart from those at the Foster Creek SAGD facility near Cold Lake.

You can probably guess which site has a standby fire brigade. “Prevention is as big a part of our toolbox as any of the equipment,” says Cenovus spokesperson Reg Curren.

4 HOME 4

Flood, wildfire, ice storm, tornado or even a pandemic influenza or nuclear emergency. Don’t wait for one of these to hit you to get a smartly stocked emergency kit for your home. Public Safety Canada offers a handy checklist and recommends buying a couple of items each time you shop. Consider it an excuse to go to Canadian Tire.

Frontline Winter 2016

Natural can be hazardous

WRITTEN BY SCOTT ROLLANS

EONS AGO, WHEN OUR FOREBEARS LEARNED TO CONTROL FIRE, HUMANITY MADE A GIANT LEAP FORWARD. TODAY, FIRE—IN VARIOUS FORMS OF COMBUSTION—CONTINUES TO POWER CIVILIZATION. 12

enform.ca

Professional engineer Brian R. Thicke of Edmonton’s Anderson IN THE Associates Consulting O I L PAT C H Engineers is a top investigator (and frequent expert witness) of industrial and commercial fires and explosions. Frontline asked him to describe some causes of fire in the oilpatch. Thicke’s simple advice: Good maintenance and sound operating procedures can save a lot of grief. H OT H A Z A R D S

COMPRESSOR

THROUGHOUT HISTORY, FIRE HAS

Compressor parts can vibrate loose or break from fatigue. If this creates a gas leak, you can end up with an explosion.

BEEN HUMANKIND’S VALUED BUT

FICKLE FRIEND. IT CAN TURN ON YOU IN AN INSTANT. HERE ARE WAYS YOU CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND, PREVENT AND RESPOND TO FIRES.

FIRE TUBE LEAK Heater treaters can develop fire tube leaks that burn past the flame arrestor. When this happens, and an oil leak runs downhill, the entire plant can quickly become involved.

FIRE TUBE LEVEL If you look after oilfield atmospheric storage tanks with fire tube heaters, never empty them below the fire-tube level. If you do, you’ll likely end up blowing the lid off.

PLANT PIPING Dead legs in plant piping can collect water—and then freeze and rupture in winter. The resulting leak may catch fire and cause widespread damage.

Frontline Winter 2016

Natural can be hazardous

Stop, drop and roll!

STOP DROP & ROLL—THE R I G H T WAY

Those words are more than a catchy slogan. They’re about

HELL ON FOUR WHEELS

ENGINE FIRE

the best advice you can follow when someone is actually on fire. A 2006 study dug into the science behind the simple slogan and found: IT WORKS Remembering the catchphrase often prevents deaths and serious injuries.

PLUS, IT'S EASY TO FOLLOW: STOP

This prevents fanning the flames

DROP

HOME FIRES BURNING

CANADIAN TOP FIVE

HOME FIRE

CAUSES

ORIGINS

Cooking

Kitchen

Heating equipment

Outside area

Arson/set fire

Bedroom

Electrical equipment

Living room

Smoking

Chimney/venting

enform.ca

ROLL

NIGHTMARE: YOU’RE BEHIND THE WHEEL AND YOUR VEHICLE CATCHES FIRE. IT’S IMPORTANT TO DO TWO THINGS: REMAIN CALM AND ACT QUICKLY TO:

Turning over and over smothers the flames

HOME FIRE

Source: Fire Losses in Canada, Alberta Municipal Affairs

This stops flames from moving up the body

IT'S A DRIVER'S

Arm position Researchers found stop, drop and roll is most effective with the arms crossed. It’s a bad idea to cover your face with your hands if your sleeves are on fire.

1. Signal and move to the right lane, shoulder or

The fabric factor Polyester tends to slow the spread of flames, while cotton and cotton blends tend to speed it. Whatever you’re wearing, however, the critical element is time. The sooner you stop, drop and roll, the better your chances of escaping or minimizing injury.

median. Stop the car and shut off the engine.

Stop, drop, roll—and cool Once flames are out, prompt cooling—cool water within 27 seconds after the burn—has a huge influence on the severity of the resulting injuries. The researchers recommended adding this important fourth step to the safety slogan.

4. Keep bystanders away and, if possible, use a signalling device to warn oncoming traffic.

2. Get out of the vehicle and move to a safe spot as far away as possible (preferably at least 30 metres). Do not return to the vehicle under any circumstances. 3. Dial 911 (or your local emergency number).

5. Do not attempt to put out the fire yourself. By opening the hood or the doors, you can end up adding oxygen to the fire.

FIRST AID FOR BURNS

IF YOU’RE AT A WORKSITE WHERE BURNS ARE A HAZARD, IT HELPS TO HAVE SOME BASIC FIRSTAID TRAINING—NOT TO MENTION A WELLSTOCKED FIRST-AID KIT. SMOKEY THE BEAR HAD IT RIGHT

Here’s a quick first aid refresher for burns:

More than half of

Burn only wood or paper.

Canada’s wildfires

are caused by

To extinguish a fire

humans, meaning they’re totally preventable. Most of these are reported and put out quickly, but why be careless and add to this sorry statistic? Smokey the Bear is right: Only YOU can prevent forest fires. Smokey also advises: Before you burn anything Check to ensure no fire bans are in place.

Check the weather forecast to avoid unexpected wind gusts.

hoose a safe site for your firepit, away from C trees, buildings and equipment—with plenty of vertical clearance and surrounded by three metres of gravel or dirt.

Double-check the burn site later, especially if the weather is dry and windy.

Stay with your fire until it’s completely out (see To Extinguish a Fire).

For minor burns

Hold the burned area under cool running water for 10 to 15 minutes.

Ideally, let the wood burn completely to ash.

Gently remove any rings or other tight items before swelling sets in.

Otherwise, drown all embers (not just the red ones) with plenty of water until the hissing sound stops.

Don’t break small blisters. If blisters break, clean with mild soap and water, apply a mild antibiotic ointment and cover with a gauze bandage.

Scrape any sticks and logs to remove embers.

For major burns Call 911 or your local emergency line.

Drown the fire pit again.

If you can, get the burned person away from sources of heat or smoke.

Bust sparks

Check for signs of circulation and begin CPR if necessary.

When operating any equipment or machinery in a wooded area, make sure it is properly maintained and includes a spark arrestor.

Remove jewelry, belts and other restrictive items— especially from burned areas and around the neck.

Elevate the burned area above heart level, if possible, and cover it with a moist bandage or clean cloth.

Do NOT attempt to remove burned clothing or materials stuck to the skin, or immerse large severe burns in cold water (doing so could cause hypothermia or shock).

tir everything until it is wet and cool to S the touch.

Spark arrestors are particularly important on machinery such as tractors, motorcycles and allterrain vehicles, but even equipment as small as a chainsaw or leaf blower can produce sparks hot enough to kindle a blaze.

Frontline Winter 2016

Natural can be hazardous

MEET THE OILFIELD FIREFIGHTER

Ryan Herman has spent 17 years as an oilfield firefighter in

northern Alberta—the last 11 years with Firemaster. A secondgeneration firefighter, he got into the business after spending his high school years working part time in the shop with his father. Q Why did you join the family business?

A I love the atmosphere. By working in the

oilpatch and fighting fires, I get the best of both worlds.

Q What’s your favourite part of the job?

WORKING IN THE OILPATCH AND FIGHTING FIRES IS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

enform.ca

A The spontaneity. You never know what the

next call is going to bring. You don’t know what you’re getting into until you get your boots on the ground.

Q What’s the biggest misconception about oilfield firefighters?

A That we don’t actually do anything—that we

just stand around and watch other people work. When something happens, then we’re busy—but our customers definitely don’t want us to be busy. Also, a lot of people will say, well, you’re only out there to protect the equipment. That’s not true. It’s lives, the environment and equipment—in that order. Equipment can burn down—you don’t want that to happen—but as long as everyone goes home at the end of the day, and there’s no huge environmental impact, that’s fine by me.

Reaction time WRITTEN BY LAVONNE BOUTCHER

5EMERGENCIES 5RESPONSES

DOING THE RIGHT THING IF THINGS GO WRONG

When all hell breaks loose, what you do can mean the difference between getting through it safely and not getting through it at all. Knowing the right way to respond will reduce the chance that you’ll panic and make matters worse. Here are five emergencies and tips that could save your life. HEART ATTACK

If the worst happens, do this: GET TO A HOSPITAL, STAT!

A heart attack is bad news. The good news is that responding to one the right way can dramatically boost the chances of survival.

“Early diagnosis is key,” says Dr. James Andruchow, an emergency medicine specialist at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary. Get help if you start feeling: Chest pain (pressure

Sweating

or squeezing)

Lightheadedness

Shortness of breath

Nausea.

Don’t hold off, thinking it can’t be happening to you. The longer you wait, the higher the chances there’ll be lasting damage to your heart. TAKE AN ASPIRIN

Andruchow says one in 20 heart attack victims can be saved by simply taking an aspirin. Aspirin acts as a mild blood thinner and keeps any blockage in the heart from getting worse. RESPOND WITH CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can mean the difference between life and death for anyone having a heart attack, especially if it happens in a remote location. “If someone collapses with a heart attack, having someone use CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) can definitely save that person’s life,” says Andruchow.

Frontline Winter 2016

HIGHWAYCOLLISION

Reaction time

Knowing how to respond to a collision can help you (and others) survive it, whether you’re on or off the job. HIGHWAY COLLISION

If the worst happens, do this: KNOW WHO TO CALL

Depending on the seriousness of the collision and where it happens, your first call may not be 911. You may need to call an industrial response team. Know your company’s policies and carry a contact list. KNOW WHERE YOU ARE

Reset the odometer when you’re leaving a worksite or when you pass identifiable landmarks or turnoffs. Help will arrive faster if you can tell responders exactly where you are. KNOW HOW TO STAY SAFE

Reduce the chances of causing another incident by taking a few precautions: Put the parking brake on Activate emergency (four-way) flashers Turn off your vehicle Get everyone out (if it’s safe) Wear reflective clothing

Put out small fires with a fire extinguisher (if it’s safe) Place safety reflective triangles on the road Stay upwind of the vehicle.

KNOW THE HAZARDS

5 EMERGENCIES 5 RESPONSES

Size up the situation so you know what hazards to report to responders. By knowing how many victims are involved, how badly they’re hurt and if there are hazardous materials around, emergency dispatchers can respond with the right people and equipment.

KNOW HOW TO HELP OTHERS

By starting first aid, you can expand a person’s so-called “golden hour,” says Rick Cartier, a veteran paramedic in Rainbow Lake, Alta. Cartier says after one hour, the chance of someone surviving a serious injury starts to go down. But don’t go beyond your training. Sometimes more harm can be done by doing the wrong thing than by doing nothing.

enform.ca

5 EMERGENCIES 5 RESPONSES

WELLSITE BLOWOUT 3 A wellsite blowout is one of the most dangerous emergency situations you can face working in the upstream oil and gas industry. WELLSITE BLOWOUT

If the worst happens, do this: PROTECT YOURSELF

If a blowout happens, get out. “If there’s anything outside the norm, activate the emergency process right away just to make sure that you’re protecting your own safety,” advises John Conley, the training manager at Behr Energy Services in Calgary. SOUND THE ALARM

Alert others to the danger as quickly as you can. PROTECT YOUR CO-WORKERS

See that everyone gets to the designated muster point. Do a head count and make sure everyone is safe. “We always say you can replace metal but you can’t replace lives,” Conley says. ISOLATE THE AREA

Secure the area to prevent anyone except authorized workers from going anywhere near the wellsite. KNOW THE PLAN

When a site’s emergency response plan (ERP) is activated, you need to know your role. From a flaming inferno to the release of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), the fallout from a wellsite blowout can be destructive and deadly. Emergency response training for all of the possible dangers is crucial.

Frontline Winter 2016

H2S EXPOSURE

Reaction time

4 “Anywhere there’s oil and gas activity there’s a potential for H2S,” says Dwayne Arneson, H2S Alive program manager at Enform. “You can’t let your guard down at all.” H 2 S EXPOSURE

If the worst happens, do this: EVACUATE

Move to a safe area either on higher ground or upwind or crosswind, depending on the direction of the release. ACTIVATE THE ALARM

Call for help using a bell, whistle or radio and alert others of the danger. ASSESS THE SITUATION

Look around for other dangers and make sure everyone is accounted for. Find out if anyone’s been hurt and assess the potential for further harm. PROTECT YOURSELF

Don’t attempt any rescue or repair work unless you’re wearing respiratory protection, either a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or a supplied air breathing apparatus (SABA). RESCUE

5 EMERGENCIES 5 RESPONSES

If someone has been knocked down, move the person to a safe area. START FIRST AID & GET MEDICAL HELP

Begin first-aid procedures on anyone injured, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), if it’s needed. Arrange for the injured to be transported to a hospital and tell EMS responders exactly what happened.

enform.ca

Power lines get knocked down by storms, ice buildup or vehicles.

5 EMERGENCIES 5 RESPONSES

POWER LINE INCIDENT

"Electricity is deadly, if you don’t know how to work around it,” says Kevin Haslbeck, communications advisor at FortisAlberta. POWER LINE INCIDENT

If the worst happens, do this: KEEP AWAY

Always assume a downed power line is “live” even if there are no sparks, smoke or buzzing sounds. Stay at least 10 metres away because the ground around it and any object touching it could be energized. DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING OR ANYONE

Even if someone has been electrocuted, don’t touch him because the electricity will go through you too. SHUFFLE TO SAFETY

If a power line comes down near you while you’re working, keep your feet together and shuffle away until you’re a safe distance (10 metres) away. Make sure both feet never leave the ground. You literally need to stay grounded. CALL FOR HELP

Notify the utility company right away. Emergency response teams have the right equipment and training to de-energize the line and make the area safe. If someone has been hurt, call 911 or the local emergency line. STAY IN THE VEHICLE

If you’re in a vehicle that has made contact with a power line, stay put until help arrives. The area around it is energized, so only get out if staying inside puts your life at risk. If you have to get out, jump with both feet together and slowly shuffle away, keeping both feet on the ground. TRY TO BREAK FREE

You can try to drive away from the power line if your vehicle or the equipment you’re operating hits a line. But only do so if it’s safe and don’t stop until you’re at least 10 metres away.

Frontline Winter 2016

Safe company

TAKING SAFETY TO ANOTHER LEVEL

THE DAYS OF YELLING AT PEOPLE ARE OVER WRITTEN BY ANNE GEORG PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY BEAVER DRILLING

enform.ca

WE’VE MOVED TO APPROACHING EVERY INCIDENT AS A SAFETY OPPORTUNITY. IT IS NOT ABOUT FINDING SOMETHING OR SOMEONE TO BLAME

Times have changed. Safety on the rigs is not what it was in your granddad’s day—or even your dad’s. No one knows that better than Beaver Drilling’s Rodney Ewing, a secondgeneration rig manager. Ewing pretty much grew up with Beaver, working with his father, Walter, also a rig manager, long before he was on the payroll. He’s been an employee for 25 years and in his current job for 14 years. “ The days of yelling at people to get out of there are over,” he says. “ Nowadays, we stop and explain why someone’s in the wrong spot or why you’re not supposed to put your hand somewhere or lean on something .” Frontline Winter 2016

Safe company

WE HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR OUR BUDDY BESIDE US, NOT JUST OURSELVES

W A L K I N G T H E TA L K

Driller Ras Evarts and five other workers on his team at Beaver Drilling have learned to walk the safety talk. They begin and end each 12-hour shift with a job safety analysis. Workers coming off shift pass on information to those coming on shift. Coupled with a hazard hunt at the beginning of each shift, these routines encourage workers to be vigilant and contribute to team safety. “We’re always re-evaluating safety as a group,” says Evarts, a 2015 CAODC Safety Leadership Award winner. “If someone doesn’t understand something during a hazard hunt, we take the time right there to review the hazard step by step until everyone understands.” The workers learn quickly that no one takes shortcuts. “We’re not in a hurry, hurry environment,” says Evarts, who’s been with Beaver on and off since 1998. “We always take the time for precaution, to prepare for a task and consider safety. If we don’t take care around all of the chemicals and equipment we work with, it could come back to haunt us.” IT’S ABOUT THE PEOPLE

Beaver Drilling's Rig 3 rig manager Rodney Ewing (right) speaks with field personnel.

S H I F T I N G T H E C U LT U R E

In the past decade, Beaver has made some big changes to improve its safety record, with many driven by customers, says company president Kevin Krausert.

For Krausert, it’s about cultivating the right employees, such as Evarts and Ewing. He leads this relatively small company with an eye to keeping employees working in a notoriously cyclical industry. “Our employees are well trained in our processes because we don’t have the same crew turnover as some other companies. We promote a culture where everyone is part of the team and everyone is looking out for everyone else,” Krausert explains.

“Safety is a major factor in winning or not winning work,” he says. For example, the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 brought an intense safety focus to operational processes that oil companies throughout North America passed down to contractors.

“That’s the secret behind the success we’ve had with our safety record.”

In turn, Beaver’s safety culture also changed. “We moved from having a rulesbased safety policy (you can’t do this, you mustn’t do that) to approaching every incident as a learning opportunity that helps us fill gaps in our safety program,” Krausert says. “It is not about finding something or someone to blame.”

In the past five years, Beaver has rolled out several new safety programs, including:

A drilling rig’s hazards—among them moving parts, heavy equipment, long hours, bad weather and hazardous materials—demand that rig workers work safely and efficiently. “Safety is not seen as something we have to do; it is seen as an integral part of the job,” Krausert says.

B U S Y AT B E AV E R

A proactive approach to safety that holds everyone responsible for every team member’s safety. A loss control manual (the company’s sixth edition) that reflects Beaver’s newest approaches to safety. A process for workers to identify and reduce hazards in their everyday activities. Process safety: all staff, including management and engineers, analyze processes and safety risks, and their effects across the entire operation.

THE NUMBERS

The Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors reports injuries on the job among its members dropped 70 per cent over the past five years. Beaver’s injury rate was half the industry rate and in 2014, the company had less than one injury for every 100,000 hours worked. “Our safety record shows that Beaver is taking safety to another level,” Ewing says. “Management has done what they can to make sure their people are as safe as possible. Now it’s up to us in the field. From the greenest to the most experienced, we all have to look 360 degrees at all times to watch out for our buddy beside us, not just ourselves.”

enform.ca

Awarding safety: Mark Scholz, CAODC president; Ras Evarts, Rig 7 driller; Simon Monette, Rig 7 driller; Terry Adams, Rig 7 rig manager; Robb Phillips, Rig 7 driller; Kevin Krausert, Beaver Drilling president; Randy Hawkings, CAODC chairman.

Field notes WHERE TO CALL IN AN EMERGENCY

911 For any emergency in most areas in Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C. 1.888.888.4567 For any emergency in remote areas of Alberta, Sakatchewan and eastern B.C. with telephone or cellphone service. 1.800.461.9911 For air ambulance in B.C. 1.800.642.3800 To report problem or injured wildlife in Alberta. 1.877.952.7277 To report problem or injured wildlife in B.C.

When things go wrong, a cool head and first-aid training are essential. When things go seriously wrong, paramedics, firefighters, police and other first responders have your back.

FIRST RESPONDERS Always ready for an emergency: (left to right) firefighter Jason Worsnop, police officer Matthew J. Maitre, fish and wildlife officer Phillip Marasco and paramedic Brandi Sandquist.

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BURTON & TERRY BULLICK PHOTOGRAPHED BY JASON STANG

Frontline Winter 2016 25

Field notes

FIREFIGHTERS Trained firefighters do more than turn vicious blazes into soggy ashes. They’re also experts in first aid, hazardous materials cleanup and dealing with the chaos of floods, tornados, power outages, ice storms and other natural disasters. And some firefighters tackle forest fires.

WHEN TO CALL:

At oil and gas production sites across Canada, welltrained, well-equipped industrial fire crews are on constant standby. They’re backed up by crews at other sites and nearby cities and towns.

At work: as site policy dictates. If someone is trapped in a vehicle. If a vehicle collision results in gasoline or other chemical/ hazmat spills or threats. If you spot smoke or uncontrolled fire in forests or on grasslands. When a natural disaster strikes. Pictured: Jason Worsnop Firefighter & Emergency Medical Responder High River Fire Department

PARAMEDICS When life hangs by a thread, paramedics can keep it from snapping.

When it comes to calling for emergency medical help, “err on the side of caution,” says Russell Bardak, a STARS paramedic in Grande Prairie. “Better to have called for help and not need it than to need help and not have called for it," he adds.

WHEN TO CALL: Someone has significant trauma such as a crush injury, serious penetrating injuries to the torso or head, or loss of a limb. Someone has stopped breathing or lost consciousness. You are overwhelmed by or unable to react to an injury and illness (yours or someone else’s). Pictured: Brandi Sundquist Paramedic Alberta Health Services, High River

enform.ca

POLICE For police officers working in rural Canadian communities, fighting crime is only part of the job.

Staff Sgt. Brent Meyer of the Peace River RCMP says that in most remote vehicle crashes, the Mounties are the first trained help on scene. That training includes first aid. And, of course, police officers tend to the law and order side of emergencies such as directing traffic, gathering statements and evidence, and detaining or pursuing suspected wrongdoers.

WHEN TO CALL: In any situation that results in significant property damage or personal injury at work, home or anywhere else. If you witness or suspect illegal activity—anywhere. When a natural disaster strikes. Pictured: Const. Matthew J. Maitre High River RCMP

WILDLIFE OFFICERS

Cougars, moose, elk, deer and other large animals can seriously “I can’t stress enough not to feed damage people, any wildlife . . . and a fed bear is a vehicles, equipment dead bear. Rarely does it end well,” and buildings. And vice says problem wildlife specialist versa. Spotting large Mike Ewald, with the Barrhead game may not seem office of Alberta Fish & Wildlife. like a life and death situation, but it can be. The more wild animals and humans mix, the higher the Large wildlife is risk, especially when consistently hanging food is involved. around homes or worksites.

WHEN TO CALL:

Any large wild animal follows people or is not acting normally. Any large wildlife is hit by a vehicle and flees. Pictured: Officer Phillip Marasco Alberta Fish & Wildlife High River

Frontline Winter 2016

Enform Q & A

OILPATCH AIR TRAVEL, SAFE AT ANY SIZE When people need to get to distant or remote oilpatch locations pronto, James

HOW DOES AVIATION CONTRIBUTE TO OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION IN CANADA?

HOW ARE PRIVATE OILPATCH FLIGHTS DIFFERENT FROM COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS?

Wakulchyk (pictured) helps get them there and back. Quickly and safely. The Calgary-based fixed-wing pilot works across Alberta. In a 25-year career, he’s logged almost 7,800 flight hours since earning his pilot’s licence at 17. He’s now a Dash 8 captain, quality assurance manager for flight operations and flight data monitoring manager for North Cariboo Air.

It enables productivity, which equates to safety and efficiency. One Dash 8 aircraft can take 50 workers to work and take another 50 people out. That saves at least a day of travel each way. Workers arrive at the site fresh, fed and ready for work rather than being exhausted from days of travel. One flight gives the company an extra 100 days of work on a site. Air travel is also a far safer option than ground travel—that’s something you can’t measure in dollars.

JAMES WAKULCHYK INTERVIEWED BY MIKE FISHER PHOTOGRAPHED BY LARRY MACDOUGAL

enform.ca

Private flights give companies flexibility. For one flight, a customer may need to move 90 people, but for the next, they may only need to move 15 people. We use appropriate aircraft to meet that need efficiently—from eight passengers up to 101—and on their schedule. Otherwise, the regulations and expectations that we fly to are the same as any airline in Canada.

DOES PASSENGER SAFETY VARY ON FLIGHTS WITH SMALL AIRCRAFT IN REMOTE AREAS?

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SAFETY CHECKS YOU MAKE BEFORE (AND DURING) EACH FLIGHT?

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE FLIGHT?

Most of the airstrips we fly to are remote only in name. What may have been considered a remote area just a few years ago has become controlled airspace with more structure. Oil companies in the last several years have invested heavily in safety at their own airports. They have large runways suited for aircraft the size of Boeing 737s. They are fully serviced by instrument approaches similar to a large airport. They have full runway servicing and maintenance, along with fuel and de-icing. When flying to these mini-international airports, the size of aircraft is irrelevant.

The checks we conduct as part of any flight are to the standard operating procedures for that aircraft. Flight crew are trained and assessed to this standard regularly. So two pilots who may have never met before can hop into the aircraft and fly with complete trust in the expectations of each other's performance in the cockpit. Every aircraft also meets maintenance requirements, which are at the same level.

A few years ago, I was captain of an air ambulance flight to Edmonton. We picked up a special pediatric team and premature twins in critical condition. It was nighttime and a snowstorm, the only light outside the aircraft was the bare minimum needed to depart and land. Everyone's lives were in the hands of my first officer and me. The passengers were unique, the weather terrible, yet for us, it was another day at the office. Today it's no different. I still expect high standards, no matter who the passengers are.

Frontline Winter 2016

HOME SAFE

LEARNING TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR AFTER A HEART ATTACK WRITTEN BY LAVONNE BOUTCHER PHOTOGRAPHED BY LARRY MACDOUGAL

Three years ago, Juan Garcia was living a busy life. An engineer in Alberta’s bustling oil and gas industry and the father of two young children, he didn’t have a lot of time for much else. A heart attack was the farthest thing from his mind, even though he had a couple of risk factors: a family history of high cholesterol (his father had two heart surgeries because of it) and he was under a lot of stress. But he was trying to manage both and thought he was doing a good job. “I never thought at 42 I would have been faced with that,” Garcia says.

enform.ca

Then it happened. He woke up one night with a persistent pain in his chest. And it kept getting worse. ”I have never felt pain like that,” he recalls. “It’s really strong pressure in your chest that you just can’t handle.” After a call to 911, he was taken by ambulance to hospital. During the ride, Garcia still wasn’t convinced it was a heart attack. But it was. And within days, he was operated on to clear three clogged arteries. Looking back, he considers himself lucky. He acted fast and his heart had no lasting damage. A threemonth rehab program got him back on his feet and back to work.

But the experience changed him. “Physically, I’m not different. But you take a different view. You pay more attention to managing stress and exercising regularly.” He’s had his heart checked four times since and has found a balance between being aware of the warning signs and not living in constant fear. He does that by setting goals that challenge him physically. In 2015, it was the Ride to Conquer Cancer. Training for and competing in the two-day, 200-kilometre cycling event has helped him trust his body again. “It took the fear away that there’s still something that may not be right. It told me, ‘You’re fixed. Stop worrying.’ ”

PREPARED Pipeline companies have a goal of zero incidents, however incidents do occur from time to time. Which is why we are prepared 24/7. Pipeline companies have stringent emergency response procedures, conduct regular inspections and work together for efficient incident response to protect Canadians and reduce impacts to the environment.

Delivering Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy. Every day. Learn more about our preparedness measures at: aboutpipelines.com

Be part of the tradition 1 Be part of the future

65th annual petroleum safety conference

Safety through it all

Join Enform for the 65th annual Petroleum Safety Conference REG I ST E R TO D AY AT

May 3 – 5, 2016 The Banff Centre‒Banff, Alberta

Learn | Connect | Exhibit