New Safety Alliance for Oil, Gas Workers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas
Furthering the safety and health of oil and gas industry workers in east Texas, southern Arkansas, and northwest Louisiana is the goal of an alliance signed between OSHA and the Ark La Tex STEPS (Safe Transportation, Exploration and Production Systems) network.
"This is an opportunity for OSHA and members of the oil and gas industry to come together through forums, roundtable discussions, meetings and conferences to discuss safety and health issues associated with production, drilling and transportation operations," said Dean McDaniel, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas. "We are hopeful that this cooperative effort will help prevent fatalities and injuries within the oil and gas industry."
The Ark La Tex STEPS was initiated in November 2007 and is patterned after the successful South Texas Exploration and Production Safety (STEPS) network. The goal of the network is to provide a forum for industry employers, contractors and employees to meet on a monthly basis, discuss best practices and lessons learned within the industry, and receive crucial information to enhance workplace safety. Additionally, the network will provide small businesses with information needed to build an effective safety and health management system.