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According to the agency, a large increase in the number of
hydraulic fracturing and backflow operations over the past decade has put more
workers at risk. In light of this, OSHA issued a hazard alert, to provide
additional information concerning exposure risks associated with hydraulic fracturing and flowback operations
other than respirable silica, which has been a hot topic within the industry
and main focus of several studies over the past several years.
Potential exposures other than respirable crystalline silica
include:
- vehicle
and machinery traffic or movement at worksites
- mechanical
material handling, manual lifting, and ergonomic hazards
- chemical
handling during mixing and injection
- flammable
fluids, atmospheres, and materials
- high
pressure-related hazards during flowback from the well
- hydrogen
sulfide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
The publication provides detailed hazard information and
suggestions for mitigation for each task as well as links to additional
resources from OSHA and NIOSH.
