The Job Impact of Evolving Safety in the Oil and Gas Industry
- The rise of safety in oil and gas has created new jobs in compliance, PPE development, safety tech, and maintenance.
- Dangerous roles like manual inspection workers, derrickmen, and blasters have been phased out due to improved safety measures and automation.
- The focus on safety will continue to expand job opportunities, especially as the industry shifts toward renewable energy integration and advanced safety technologies.
The transformation of safety in the oil and gas industry since the 1980s has not only saved countless lives and reduced accidents, but it has also dramatically impacted the job market. What started as a largely unregulated field with limited safety protocols has expanded into a vast ecosystem of roles focused on risk management, equipment safety, and regulatory compliance. These changes have both created new opportunities across the sector and phased out outdated or dangerous jobs.
This analysis delves into the wide spectrum of jobs born from the industry’s evolving safety standards, from compliance officers to those manufacturing and maintaining safety gear. It also touches on the jobs that have become obsolete as companies prioritize worker well-being.
Jobs Created by the Evolution of Safety
As the oil and gas industry shifted toward a safety-first culture, new roles emerged at various levels. These jobs not only focus on direct safety oversight but also span industries that support the safe functioning of oil and gas operations.
1. Safety Officers and Compliance Personnel
One of the most direct outcomes of increased safety regulations is the demand for Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) officers. These professionals ensure that company operations comply with local, national, and international safety regulations. They monitor everything from worksite conditions to the implementation of emergency response plans.
Additionally, as regulations became more complex, the need for compliance managers and auditors grew, leading to a rise in administrative and legal roles focused on safety documentation, audits, and reporting.
2. Safety Trainers and Educators
The introduction of more stringent safety protocols means workers need regular training to stay current with industry best practices. This led to the creation of dedicated positions for safety trainers and educators, who develop training programs, conduct drills, and teach workers how to properly use safety equipment and handle emergencies.
With oil and gas companies frequently investing in training programs, both in-house and third-party training organizations have seen job growth.
3. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Designers and Manufacturers
The evolution of safety in the oil and gas industry has driven significant advancements in PPE. Companies specializing in flame-resistant clothing (FRC), gas masks, helmets, and high-tech work boots have flourished. Engineers and designers focused on creating PPE that meets the unique demands of oilfield environments are in high demand. Beyond the actual creation of PPE, there is an entire supply chain—from production to distribution—that supports this critical market, offering a variety of roles from industrial designers to logistics managers.
4. Safety Technology Developers
Technological innovations have become central to modern safety in the oil and gas sector. Companies now employ safety technology developers to create devices like blowout preventers (BOPs), gas detection systems, and real-time monitoring software. These jobs require skills in engineering, software development, and data science, with an emphasis on integrating technology to prevent accidents and monitor real-time risk.
Similarly, roles have expanded into the development of drones and robotics for equipment inspections, reducing the need for human workers to enter hazardous environments.
5. Maintenance and Refurbishment Technicians
Once safety equipment is in place, it needs to be maintained and regularly inspected. This has created demand for technicians who specialize in the maintenance and refurbishment of safety gear, such as BOPs, fire suppression systems, and pressure control equipment. Calibration specialists and field inspectors now play essential roles in ensuring all safety-critical devices are functioning properly, further expanding the job market.
6. Safety Consultants
Consulting firms have also sprung up to offer expertise in safety protocols, risk assessments, and compliance. These safety consultants work alongside oil and gas companies to identify potential risks, conduct safety audits, and design comprehensive safety plans. These professionals often bring a background in engineering, law, or environmental science.
7. Emergency Response and Crisis Management
With a strong focus on preparedness, the oil and gas sector now includes roles for emergency response planners and crisis management teams. These jobs are critical for crafting response strategies to handle accidents or emergencies effectively, minimizing damage and ensuring the safety of personnel.
Jobs That Have Been Made Obsolete
As the oil and gas industry has become safer, some jobs have been phased out due to the hazards they involved. These roles were often high-risk and posed significant danger to workers.
1. Manual Inspection and Repair Workers
In the past, workers often had to manually inspect and repair high-risk areas like pipelines, flare stacks, and deep-sea oil rigs. These tasks are now increasingly performed by drones, robots, or other remote systems, drastically reducing the need for human workers to risk their lives in hazardous environments.
2. Oil Derrickmen
Historically, derrickmen—workers who manually handled drilling pipe on oil rigs—were among the most dangerous jobs in the industry. Today, many of these tasks have been automated, reducing the need for derrickmen in oil drilling operations. Automated pipe-handling systems and remote-operated equipment have taken over many of these manual, risky jobs.
3. Blasters and Explosive Workers
Workers responsible for using explosives to fracture rock formations for oil extraction (especially in offshore drilling) have been significantly reduced. The hazards involved with handling explosives in such environments have prompted the adoption of safer, automated fracturing technologies and methods like hydraulic fracturing (fracking), which do not require on-site explosives.
4. Confined Space Laborers
In the past, workers often had to enter confined spaces such as tanks, pipelines, or silos, which posed severe risks, including exposure to toxic gases and the risk of entrapment. Modern robotics and remote inspection devices have reduced the need for human labor in these dangerous confined spaces.
5. Physical Fire Watchers
Previously, workers known as fire watchers were stationed to monitor welding or cutting jobs for potential fires. Today, fire suppression technologies and automated fire detection systems have significantly diminished the need for human fire watchers, minimizing exposure to fire hazards in high-risk areas.
A Growing Sector with Room for Expansion
As the industry continues to evolve, especially with the increasing focus on sustainability and decarbonization, the safety sector is expected to grow even further. New safety challenges, particularly around the use of hydrogen and other alternative fuels, will drive further innovation in safety technologies and practices.
Moreover, as oil and gas companies increasingly embrace sustainability, there will be new safety considerations in integrating renewable energy and traditional fossil fuels, creating jobs at the intersection of environmental safety and energy management.
The oil and gas industry’s commitment to safety has created a wide range of job opportunities, from front-line safety officers to engineers developing state-of-the-art PPE and automated safety technologies. This evolution has not only improved worker protection but also expanded the industry’s employment landscape. At the same time, dangerous, outdated roles have been eliminated or automated, reducing the human cost of oil and gas production.
As the sector continues to evolve and safety remains at the forefront, the demand for skilled professionals in both safety management and technology development will only increase, opening up new avenues for career growth and innovation.