Fueling Biomechanics in the Oil & Gas Industry Christian Browne Lunch & Learn Sessions – 2015 Enform Saskatchewan

Fueling Biomechanics in the Oil & Gas Industry

Christian Browne Lunch & Learn Sessions – 2015

Enform Saskatchewan

Objectives

• Understand the principles of ergonomics

• Recognize the risk factors, signs, and symptoms of musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs)

• Know how to protect yourself from MSI injuries and reduce your risk

What Is Ergonomics? – Modify jobs to fit

capabilities of people– Reduce MSIs

• Repetitive reaching, forceful exertions, bending and lifting, or working with vibrating equipment

– Engineering controls– Safe work practices– PPE

Source: http://www.ergonomics.com.au/what-is-ergonomics/

What is Biomechanics?• The study of human movement and the forces acting upon it both

internal and external, during motion and when stationary.• Important to study because it helps to identify the best techniques to

perform an action.

MSI in Saskatchewan • Section 81 of The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996

explains an employer’s or contractor’s responsibilities related to MSIs.

• Section 81 includes the following responsibilities:

An employer or contractor is required to regularly review, in consultation with the occupational health committee, activities that may cause or aggravate an MSI.

Also, once a worker has reported an MSI, there is a requirement to review their job and to implement appropriate control measures to prevent further injury to this and other workers who may perform the same job/tasks.

Source: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/safety-in-the-workplace/hazards-and-prevention/safety-in-professions-and-industry/health-and-health-care

Because of the nature of the industry, promoting ergonomics can be a challenging, but necessary,

endeavour.

Muscoskeletal Injuries (MSI)– Generally they are injuries or pain of

the soft tissue and nervous system that affect your body’s muscles; nerves and tendons.

– Degenerative diseases and inflammatory conditions that cause pain and impair normal activities

Source: http://www.healthline.com/health/musculoskeletal-disorders#Types2

Characteristics of MSIs – Occur from a single event or

many small injuries– Take weeks, months, or years

to develop– Produce no symptoms in early

stages, but show symptoms after injury has occurred

– Contributing causes may occur at home and at work

– Same MSI may differ in severity from person to person doing a similar task


General Signs of MSIs– Decrease in grip

strength – Decrease in range

of motion– Loss of

muscle function– Inability to do

everyday tasks

anybody know what this is?


MSD Symptoms– Back and neck— shooting

pain, stiffness– Shoulders—pain, stiffness,

loss of mobility– Arms and legs— shooting

pains, numbness– Elbow and knee joints—

pain, swelling, stiffness, soreness


Loss of Flexibility• Loss of flexibility has been

shown to be one of the leading reasons we suffer from soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains.

• So what is the difference between a sprain and a strain?


Sprain vs Strain

• A sprain involves injury to connective tissues such as ligaments that connect bone to bone or connective tissue that holds joints together.

• Strains are injuries that involve the stretching or tearing of a musculo-tendinous (muscle and tendon) structure.

Source: http://www.hughston.com/hha/a.strain-sprain.htm

Act on the Signs of MSI• Act immediately:

– Report the problem– Seek medical attention– Early treatment and intervention can prevent permanent

injury


What Is the Data Showing?

Key Fact

• Bodily Reaction and Exertion: Codes in this division apply to cases, usually nonimpact, in which injury or illness resulted from free bodily motion, excessive physical effort, or repetition of a bodily motion (source: CSA standard Z795).

• Overexertion injuries result from excessive physical effort directed to an object and include sprains and tears of muscle and connective tissues.

• For this report, data related to four rate codes (WCB SK - D32, D41, D51, D52) was considered.

Quick Summary

• Bodily Reaction and exertion injuries together were responsible for 25% of the total claim count and claim costs over last five year period.

• Source of injury-by claim cost, 36% of the Overexertion injuries are caused by hoses and pipes, which are preventable.

• Nature of injury- by claim cost, 50% of total injuries induce sprains/strains/tears and back pain/hurt

Data provided by WCB Saskatchewan

Quick Summary• Part of body-by claim cost, majority (75%) of the Bodily

Reaction injuries impact trunk and lower extremities, however Overexertion impact trunk area of the body.

• Cause-Actions like bending/climbing/crawling/slipping are responsible for Bodily Reaction injuries, however lifting/pulling/pushing of objects is the main cause for Overexertion injuries.

• Oil well Servicing sector (D4108, D4105 and D4104) is experiencing 50% of total Bodily Reaction and Exertion injuries.

Data provided by:

Data provided by

Data provided by

What is ENFORM Doing?

• Safety Stand Down is designed to bring together frontline workers and senior executives to discuss the prevention on injuries and illnesses

• One of three topics for 2016 Safety Stand Down

What is ENFORM Doing?• General Entry Level Safety (GELS)• Self-study course provides a review of basic safety

practices. • Manual Workbook Cost: $41.00

• TOPICS INCLUDE• Basic safety• Personal protective equipment• Back injury prevention• Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations• Hazard identification and elimination• Hand tool safety

One Goal

• ENFORM SK is working in conjunction with other safety associations across the province.

Chevrons RSI Reduction Programme

• Computer use, non-neutral postures and not taking breaks were correlated with high levels of confidence having self-reported discomfort in the 2013 study.

Source: http://www.workpace.com/news/press/wellnomics-helps-deliver-74-decrease-in-rsi-injuries-for-chevron/

Chevrons RSI Reduction Programme

• Data from 30,000 staff worldwide show stunning reduction in overuse injuries

• March 21, 2013 - Oil and gas giant Chevron today revealed in a keynote address at the Applied Ergonomics Conference in Dallas, TX, that their world class RSI reduction programme, built around Wellnomics software solutions, had delivered a 74% reduction in companywide RSI rates between 2003 and 2010.

Source: http://www.workpace.com/news/press/wellnomics-helps-deliver-74-decrease-in-rsi-injuries-for-chevron/

Interventions in the O & G• Examples of ergonomic intervention that has been

put into place include equipment such as: • Top Drives and spinner wrenches that have

reduced a good deal of exposure to physical stress.

Source: http://www.masterytech.com/products/coursecatalog/info?courseid=moxiwsst_htm

• Hydraulic and motorized slips, operated by a Driller using a foot pedal, have been beneficial in reducing the awkward lifting postures of handling slips when tripping pipe.


• Changing the orientation on handles of tongs has helped reduce hand injuries and reduced the incidence of crushing fingers between pipes.


• When manually handling slips, if hydraulic or motorized slips are not being used, the use of three employees, as opposed to two, to reduce risk of exertional injury has been put into practice on many drilling locations.


• Slip hazards on the drill floor may be reduced by the use of roofing paper or other floor covers that have high coefficients of friction.

• Additional measures to reduce slips and falls include removing excess mud off the pipe as it is being elevated out of the hole, and by power washing the rig floor to remove oil-based mud on a regular and frequent basis.


• Since it is impossible to engineer out all of the physical tasks an oilfield employee must engage in, always be on the lookout for new ways to increase safety and decrease the potential for injuries.

• Use your daily Job Safety Analysis or pre-tour meeting to discuss new ideas, equipment and work processes.


Good Posture• When standing, good posture exists when the head

is centered over the shoulders, the trunk or upper body is erect, the upper arms are relaxed down by the sides of the trunk and the hips and legs


Sitting Posture• While seated, a neutral posture involves the head being

centered over the shoulders, the trunk erect, and the upper arms relaxed by the side of the trunk. Elbows should be flexed 90 degrees with the wrists straight, and the thighs and knees bent also at a 90 degree angle.


Principle #1: Is to always try and work in postures that are

the least stressful to the body.


Stretching Concept • W-U-P-R, which stands for Warm-Up & Posture

Relief.• Example: As you have seen, bending over while

using tools and performing work down low is a common practice that can be stressful on the lower back.

• How do we minimize the stress of this posture?


• Remember Principle #1 • Look for alternative ways to posture your body in a

neutral position when having to perform work in low-lying locations.

• Consider bending the knees more, kneeling or squatting rather than bending from the waist. If possible kneel on a cushion, kneepads, or even your gloves to help provide a more comfortable position.


Overhead Reach Tasks• Perform an overhead reach Warm-up Stretch for

the shoulders.

• It is also recommended that whenever working with your arms above shoulder level that the amount of time in this posture is broken up as frequently as possible with posture relief techniques that will restore blood flow into the arms and relieve stress on the shoulders.


Disc Protrusion

Extremities Stretch- Early signs of possible injury- Neck Flexion/Side Bend- Shoulder shrugs- Flexion of wrist and fingers - Hip flexors- Groin stretch (flex knee stretch)

* Hold for minimum 30 seconds.


• Myth that 'bouncing' as you stretch (ballistic stretching) helps muscles to stretch further.

• Bouncing is counterproductive as it can cause small tears to the muscle tissue, which are experienced as muscle soreness or tenderness.

Instead of ‘bouncing’, try:

• concentrating on slow, sustained stretches• holding the stretch for more than 30 seconds• once the muscle feels comfortable, gently increase

the stretch and then hold again.


Seek appropriate professional medical advice if any discomfort or pain.

Lower Back Stretch• The most beneficial posture relief stretch to be

performed after being bent over.• It is called simply the Back Extension.• Beneficial to periodically promote fluid uptake into

the disc by performing standing and seated back extension posture relief exercises.


• If you have to lift, remember the golden rule, always keep the load close to the body at all times.

• When lifting, apply BLAST technique, B-L-A-S-T. • B stands for keep the lower back bowed inward,• L stands for use your legs,• A stands for tighten up your abdominal muscles to

stabilize and lock in the lower back, • S stands for lift slowly and smoothly and • T stands for avoid twisting. Do not twist.


Proper Lifting Technique

ENFORM Saskatchewan

Christian Browne [email protected]

306-842-9823

mailto:[email protected]

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Fueling Biomechanics in the Oil & Gas Industry Christian Browne Lunch & Learn Sessions – 2015 Enform Saskatchewan