Fracking: Potential Worker Exposure and Health Effects

1. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org
Fracking –
Potential Worker Exposure and
Health Effects
Ms Lynne Morgan
Energy Institute

2. 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

3. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org
Typical site

4. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org
Typical frack site

5. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org
NOISE

6. 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

7. 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 Z1
2250bhp turbocharged engine
Dimensions 11m x 3m x 4.5m
Noise sources

8. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org

9. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org

10. 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

11. 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

12. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org
CRYSTALLINE SILICA

13. 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

14. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org

15. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org

16. BOHS – Occupational Hygiene 2014 – Session 14a: Fracking – Exploring potential health risks
www.energyinst.org

17. 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)

18. 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

19. 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.