Carlsbad Oilfield Workers Warned About Hazards On The Job

A mother bobcat anxiously passed around the catwalk at a tank battery site in southeast New Mexico .

A worker confronted the animal, tossing small equipment at it in hopes the predator would leave the area on its own.

Undeterred, the animal crawled up the catwalk and laid to rest on a landing, 12 feet above the ground.

Hours later, it wandered off.

No one was hurt in the encounter about two years ago, but John Able, safety specialist with oilfield service company Danos Inc. said the incident taught his workers to be vigilant of not only the dangers caused by extraction developments, but the environments that surround them.

“Our guys are in their environment,” Able said of the wildlife. “You’ve got to keep your head on a swivel. We’re used to the hazards caused by the oilfield, but not so much the environmental hazards.”

Especially during the spring, Able worried oil workers could expect an influx of animals interacting with the industry.

“They’ve got babies everywhere,” he said. “We told our guys to be more aware. This time of year, we really need to be cautious.”

Veterinarian and founder of the Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Samantha Uhrig said the remote areas of the county known for heavy extraction development, are also host to myriad animals and wildlife that could pose an often-ignored threat to workers.

When a dangerous or defensive animal is encountered on the job, Uhrig said workers should use extreme caution and carefully evaluate the situation before attempting to help the creature.

Native animals can be found injured along roadways, caught in fencing or simply disoriented and wandering onto job sites, she said.

“Time is of the essence,” she said. “It’s either time for the animal to get away, or its time to get it some help. Yeah, it’s the circle of life, but when it shows up on your oilfield location, you kind of feel obligated to do something about it.”

The presentation was one of three given Wednesday during Southeast New Mexico STEPS’ quarterly meeting at the Pecos River Village Conference Center in Carlsbad.

The organization is a network of industry and local officials dedicated to promote worker safety, hosting one meeting in Carlsbad each year, with another in Artesia and two in Hobbs.

Uhrig called upon the oilfield workers at the meeting to be observant of the wildlife, and notify officials when an animal is in need.

“You all are out in places I can’t always get to,” she said. “For you to be able to identify wildlife in need would be a big help. Wildlife is everywhere.”

Don't get bit

Eddy County Extension Agent Woods Houghton, with New Mexico State University, warned workers of a wide range of venomous and life threatening creatures that might be invisible to the untrained eye.

“Number one is don’t get bit,” he said. “Don’t put yourself in a place where you can get bit.”

More: What you need to know about wildlife and your backyard

Among the most common venous animals that pose a threat, Houghton pointed to rattlesnakes, scorpions and multiple species of spider.

Black widows and brown recluse spiders can be especially dangerous, he said, as they often reside in dark, hidden areas.

Houghton recommended looking before moving objects, and removing potential shelters for the creatures such as boards and other debris.

Some spiders, especially brown recluses can hide in the folds of clothing, he said, and under furniture inside a home.

Rattlesnakes are found sunning outside during cooler weather, and will hide in darker spaces such as under a tank or truck when the weather heats up.

If bitten by a rattlesnake or other venous predators, victims can expect intense swelling, nausea, vomiting and trouble breathing.

Envenomation can prove fatal by causing breathing passages in the human body to swell and close.

Death by asphyxiation can occur as quickly as hours or minutes after the bite, depending on the victim and concentration of the venom.

“You get them in a corner where they feel threatened, they will attack,” Houghton said. “Usually they’ll give you a warning sign before they do something that will hurt you. Recognizing those signs is up to us.”

Houghton also pointed to mammals potentially carrying rabies, that could spread the fatal virus by biting people.

All mammals are susceptible to rabies, he said, and all cases are fatal.

An outbreak in 2012 in Eddy County left 41 skunks infected, along with foxes, dogs and bats.

“There is no cure for rabies,” Houghton said. “If you get rabies, you are going to die. That’s it.”

Aside from the unforgiving wildlife surrounding the oilfield, officials also worried that workers are at risk when traveling to and from job sites on often crowded roadways.

A man-made threat?

Donavan Mager, spokesman with Nuclear Waste Partnership presented efforts put forth by the Southeast New Mexico Roadway Safety Integrated Project (RSIP) to prevent accidents, especially in industrial areas.

The project convened last fall to address a string of fatalities on roads known for oilfield traffic, especially on U.S. Highway 285 in southern Eddy County.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation recently announced a $60 million proposed project to rebuild and upgrade 285, aiming to allay the concerns and make the road safer.

But in the meantime, Mager said roadway safety is up to the drivers themselves.

NMDOT recently implemented a "safety corridor" along U.S. 285, doubling fines and increasing law enforcement presence. 

The project raised enough funds, Mager said, to pay for three "traffic calming devices" for the Eddy County Sheriff's Office, to display a passing motorist's speed. 

"We hear more about the heavy truck crashes, because when you’re involved in an accident with a heavy truck very bad things can happen," Mager said. "They can’t stop on a dime."

Distracted and aggressive driving were two main causes of wrecks, Mager said, along with driver fatigue and intoxication. 

“Each one of us has a responsibility," he said. "We’ve had several accidents. Some of them very horrific. How many drivers are aggressive or just distracted? Why are we in such a hurry that we put people’s lives at risk?

“We need to take responsibility. That’s the only way we’re going to make the roads safe.”

Source: Carlsbad Current Argus