In an effort to improve safety in the oil and gas industry, the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the United Steelworkers International Union (USW) are working together on a standard to prevent fatigue among oil workers -- and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) wants your comments on those efforts.

The CSB’s investigation into the 2005 fire and explosion at the BP Texas City Refinery that killed 15 workers and injured 180 led to the Board recommending that the API and USW get together and lead the development of an ANSI consensus standard for industry-specific fatigue prevention.

That’s not the only oil business that’s keeping the CSB busy: at an upcoming public meeting,  the Board will consider three recommendations to OSHA concerning fuel gas safety and process safety management regulation of organizational changes and of atmospheric storage tanks.

The CSB’s draft evaluation concerning the fatigue recommendation, and information about how to submit public comments can be found at www.csb.gov or by clicking here.

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating serious chemical incidents and hazards. The Board makes safety recommendations to OSHA, EPA and other regulatory agencies, as well as to plants, corporations, industry and labor groups, and standards bodies; it does not issue citations or fines.