BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
Fracking –Potential Worker Exposure and Health EffectsMs Lynne Morgan
Energy Institute
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
• Noise exposure• Sources• Typical levels• Potential health effects• Mitigation measures, conflicts and challenges
• Crystalline silica exposure• Sources and higher risk activities• Possible silica levels (NIOSH field studies)• Health effects• Mitigation measures
Introduction
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
Typical site
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
Typical frack site
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
NOISE
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
• Drilling operations:• Noise sources - Mud shakers, drilling rig, power
generation• Noise level - 89-94dB(A)• Duration - Days/Weeks
• Fracking operations:• Noise sources - “Grizzly” pumps and gel blender.• Noise level - 94–104dB(A) • Duration - Varies (hours)
Noise sources
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
Halliburton HQ-2000 (Grizzly) pump
11 pumps used for the fracking of Z12250bhp turbocharged engineDimensions 11m x 3m x 4.5m
Noise sources
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
• Normal shift duration is 12hours
• Potential worker noise doses without PPE:• Drilling 96dB(A)• Fracking 106dB(A)
• If uncontrolled there is a significant potential for hearing damage, including:• Noise Induced Hearing Loss• Temporary Threshold Shift• Tinnitus
Potential health effects
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
• Control measures• Acoustic enclosures• Worker rotation• Ear defenders
• Challenges when controlling exposure:• Changing noise levels• Worker training and experience• Conflicting priorities
Mitigation measures and challenges
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
CRYSTALLINE SILICA
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
• Proppants are a solid materials, typically treated with sand or man made ceramic material designed used to keep the shale fractures open.
• Approximately 50 tonnes of proppants used.
• Two proppants were used (50:50)• 100 Mesh sand
• 99.9% Crystalline silica• Carbolite 40/70
• Ceramic proppant <1% Crystalline silica
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
• 2012 Hazard alert released by NIOSH and OSHA• Based on NIOSH field studies at 11 fracking sites in 5 states• 116 respirable crystalline silica samples
• UK exposure limit 0.1mg/m3 (8Hr TWA)
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
• Chronic inhalation of crystalline silica may lead to:• Silicosis
• Increase risk of tuberculosis and lung cancer• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease• Acute silicosis also possible but rare
• Personal exposure monitoring
• Health surveillance• Baseline testing, regular review• Risk assessment update
BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks www.energyinst.org
• Exposure to noise and crystalline silica have the serious potential to cause ill health in workers involved in shale gas exploration and production
• Understanding of hazards and the assessment of potential exposure is key to control of risks.
• Exposure monitoring and health surveillance data must feed back into risk assessment process.
• PPE and RPE should not be the default option for exposure control.