Increasingly remote energy projects and sustained spikes in the fatality rate have renewed focus on medical support and effective emergency response planning and protocols for oil and gas facilities.
A major exacerbating factor is both Australia’s aging oil and gas workforce as well as its aging energy asset infrastructure.
Medical response and emergency management solutions alleviate the negative impacts of hazards at oil and gas facilities, including major disasters and critical incidents, through mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Oil and gas workers face unique and potentially severe health and safety risks that necessitate comprehensive safety management protocols, as well as preparedness for emergency medical responses.
These include remote work, gas leaks, harsh weather conditions, machinery malfunctions, fires, and explosions.
Crucial for offshore and remote medical service delivery is response time, as extended delays can result in increased and permanent damage, a higher likelihood of fatalities, and greater distress to those involved.
In a report on health management in the oil and gas industry, the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) explained that the purpose of health services in the sector was to improve the performance and wellbeing of workers, and thus manage risks to health and safety.
It said: “Safeguarding and improving the health and wellbeing of staff – employed or contracted – is in the best interest of companies in the oil and gas industry.
“This ‘best interest’ goes beyond compliance corporate duty of care – it goes directly to the bottom line.”
The IOGP pointed out there was clear evidence that workers in the resources sector were susceptible to poor health behaviours relating to diet, exercise, alcohol and tobacco consumption; often had low sleep duration and quality; and had a higher prevalence of mental health concerns than the general population.
It added: “Effective leadership around health and human performance brings significant additional value, both to people and the business – fit-for-purpose health management systems which utilise a risk-based management approach can avoid significant direct and indirect costs.”
Last year, researchers from the University of Queensland, in collaboration with Shell Australia, developed the remote health value framework (RHVF), a practical tool designed to evaluate healthcare models for workers in the oil and gas sector.
The framework is designed to specifically address the challenge operators face in hiring medical contractors or organising medical services themselves, while at the same time balancing workforce values with operational constraints.
It uses a multi-criteria decision analysis approach to understand preferences and trade-offs among different value domains important to stakeholders.
Led by Dr Anton Pak from UQ’s Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, the RHVF was developed through conducting interviews and preference elicitation exercises with a mix of health, safety and environment (HSE) team members, non-HSE managers, and senior staff from Shell.
The survey component of the study found that ‘improving health outcomes of employees’ was the most valued attribute, accounting for 37.3 per cent of the total utility score – cost was the least important factor at 11 per cent, demonstrating companies are willing to invest in effective healthcare solutions.
Dr Pak said: “This framework not only helps companies like Shell make informed decisions, but also sets an example for other industries with remote operations.
“By focusing on value-based healthcare, businesses can enhance worker productivity, meet social responsibilities, and ensure sustainable operations.”
The study also found that among offshore workers, more than 70 per cent were reported to be overweight or obese, 67 per cent had poor sleep quality, more than 50 per cent engaged in risky levels of alcohol consumption, and 15 per cent had a long-term illness.
In addition, the health status of workers was more adversely affected when working in remote environments.
