Roughneck Safety | Video

Chris Williams | 10/26/2012

Roughnecks have one of the most dangerous jobs in the oil industry. They take 30 foot drilling pipes, connect three of them together and put them in the ground.

"There`s a lot of iron. When we get a lot of iron swinging and iron moving the human body, there`s no give to it, the iron is going to when every time," said Safety Specialist for Saf-T Compliance David Killingsworth.

Roughnecks can twist a knee or ankle, lose fingers or even their life if they aren`t constantly paying attention. That`s why safety crews are so valuable.

"They get complacent moving pipe, well, they may not see that hammer that`s laying on the floor. They get ready to pick up something with the air hoist they may not see that cable that`s frayed above them. We`re just a second set of eyes," Killingsworth added.

According to Workforce Safety Insurance, in 2010 there were 243 injuries on rigs. In 2011, injuries more than doubled to almost 550. A number Killingsworth would like to decrease.

"If there`s an unsafe act, they stop the operations immediately. We`re not going to put a price tag on any man’s life, or not one drop of oil."

One of the biggest problems safety crews are seeing, is something we have all been guilty of at one time or another.

"When it comes to the roughneck`s housekeeping, they get in a big hurry. They`ve got so much going on, just keeping a good tidy work place," Killingsworth added.

Killingsworth says roughneck crews are getting better about cleaning up their workspace and that will prevent injuries.

"All of our common goals is to make sure each and everyone roughneck go home every day. I have a family back at home, and so do these guys. It`s my job to make sure they go home."

It can take up to four hours to inspect just one section of a rig.

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