High visibility, waterproof, impact-absorbing, chemical resistant, high durability, high dexterity, and better grip are features of gloves used in the energy industry. High performance PPE hand protection are required for medium to heavy-duty tasks. Such tasks include the use of hand tools, pipe handling, value operation, where “struck by” and “caught between objects” tend to be the source of recordable incidents. Handling and positioning of heavy equipment often result in trapped or crushed fingers and hands. Flash fires, while less common, are just as serious as most result in extreme thermal injuries when fire resistant body protection is not worn. Despite efforts by energy companies, specifically those in the oil and gas sector, industry statistics indicates that the number of hand and finger injuries are increasing year over year. Ansell’s extensive portfolio of hand and body protection ensures the safety of energy workers and the products they handle.
The main segments of the energy industry include Upstream oil and gas, Downstream oil and gas, and renewable energy. Understanding the key activities and hazards in each segment will lead to a safer and more protected workplace.
Upstream oil and gas is the second largest sector of the energy industry. Upstream encompasses activities related to searching for, recovering, and producing crude and natural gas. The three key Upstream activities include exploration, drilling, and unconventional drilling.
Offshore is an operational segment of Upstream oil and gas. Offshore is the process of drilling for oil and gas underseas. Extraction, transportation, and environmental protection are all comparatively more difficult in this environment.
Downstream oil and gas is the largest segment of the energy industry. Downstream supplies thousands of products to end users across the globe. The Downstream industry includes complex and diverse activities including manufacturing, refining, and distribution and retail of the oil and gas.
Nuclear energy plays a substantial role in global electricity generation, contributing around 10% of the world's electricity through 445 active power reactors. Moreover, it constitutes approximately one-quarter of the world's low-carbon electricity and stands as the second-largest source of low-carbon power, representing 26% of the total in 2020*.
Nuclear energy production presents a range of specific hazards including ionising radiation and radioactive contamination, in addition to any present secondary risks. Understanding the nature of typical hazards allows safety and operations managers to make informed choices when developing safety programs and evaluating PPE options.
*Source: Word nuclear association
Local and federal governments are encouraging greener energy solutions to better our environment, for today and the future. Using renewable energy reduces carbon emissions in the atmosphere through a more sustainable energy system.
The renewable energy segment is the fastest-growing segment of the industry. Renewable energy is defined as “energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power.1
Solar power and wind power have the first and second largest impacts within the renewable energy industry, respectively. Workers in these fields need to be protected during the installation, construction, operations, and maintenance of this energy. Ansell supplies the right Multi-Purpose, Electrical, and Disposable protections for the task.
1. Oxford Dictionary
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