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The Denver Post is out with the first report in their “Drilling through danger” series looking at worker safety in the oil and natural gas industry that they say stems from a “year-long” investigation.

One issue raised in the initial story and likely to be seen again as the series progresses are tragic accidents that occurred during manual tank sampling that have been extensively covered by the Denver Post. The story has also been reported on nationally by outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and in reporting from Inside Energy and Rocky Mountain PBS that has been featured in the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent, the Durango Herald, and other media outlets throughout Colorado.

The incidents are being taken seriously by the oil and natural gas industry and federal regulators such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), by establishing a partnership with industry operators to get the word out about the risks and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in spreading the word for emergency medical workers.

So as the series continues, it is likely that there will be a lot more to come from EID, but here are three facts on worker safety in the oil and natural gas industry to keep in mind:

FACT#1: Government agencies have found that while oil production – and subsequently employment – has been on an unprecedented rise, the rate of fatal injuries has declined

Since 2008, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that U.S production of crude oil has risen steadily from year to year while total natural gas production simultaneously reached View Full Article