Workforce Services, Department of

OSHA - Wyoming Oil and Gas Well Drilling, Servicing, Special Servicing, Completion and Plugging, and Abandoning of Wells

Chapter 2: Safety and Health Management

Effective Date: 11/07/2025 to Current

Rule Type: Current Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 053.0031.2.11072025

Chapter 2

Safety and Health Management

Section 1. General.

(a) Each well operator, employer, contractor and subcontractor shall be charged with the responsibilities and duties as required by the Act, the rules and regulations for 29 CFR § 1910 (General Industry) and the rules and regulations for 29 CFR § 1926 (Construction Industry) as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission.

(b) No employer shall allow well drilling, servicing, or special servicing work to commence without first ensuring that all equipment and employees are prepared to proceed with work safely.

(c) No employer shall modify or install equipment that conflicts with these rules and regulations or manufacturer's recommendations, specifications or requirements.

(d) Any personnel performing work on a contract basis shall abide by all safety and health rules and regulations pertaining to oil and gas well drilling, servicing, and special servicing operations.

(e) The employer shall develop and implement a written safety and health management system to include, at a minimum, the following:

1. (i) Instructions on job safety and health analysis and risk assessments Instructions for and monitoring criteria for new personnel;
2. (ii) Instructions for personnel on work procedures, job responsibilities, and managing changes;
3. (iii) Regularly scheduled safety meetings in which the job tasks, probable hazards and related safe practices are emphasized and discussed;
4. (iv) A plan to facilitate and organize actions during workplace emergencies;
5. (v) Safety education through safety meetings, company publications, training and other media;
6. (vi) A shift or personnel changeover process to communicate ongoing operations and potential hazards; and
7. (vii) Good housekeeping practices.

Section 2. Safety and Health Risk Assessment.

(a) The employer shall comply with 29 CFR § 1926.20(a) through 1926.20(f)(2) of

Subpart C, General Safety and Health provisions as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission found at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10606 as it relates to accident prevention responsibilities and compliance duties owed to each employee.

(b) The employer shall evaluate the workplace hazards and risks and develop and implement measures to mitigate identified risks.

(c) The employer shall ensure job tasks, including potential simultaneous operations, are assessed for risks before operations commence.

(d) The employer shall determine the method to conduct risk assessments for the task which may include, but are not limited to, a documented process, a visual or verbal process or other company specific process to recognize risk.

(e) The employer shall communicate the risk assessment during a pre-job meeting with the crew and other involved personnel.

(f) The employer shall permit only authorized persons, or employees being trained under the supervision of a qualified person(s), to operate equipment or machinery.

(g) The employer shall comply with 29 CFR § 1910.145(a)(2) through 1910.145(f)(9), Subpart J General Environmental Controls as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission found at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9790.

(h) The employer shall investigate any injury or illness and take steps to prevent a recurrence of the injury or illness.

Section 3. Hazard Communication.

(a) The employer shall comply with 29 CFR § 1910.1200(a)(1) through 1910.1200(j)(3), Subpart Z Toxic and Hazardous Substances as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission found at: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1000.

Section 4. Exit Routes.

(a) The employer shall comply with 29 CFR § 1910.36(a) through 1910.36(h)(4) of Subpart E, Means of Egress as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission found at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=12885.

(b) The employer shall comply with 29 CFR § 1910.37(a) through 1910.37(e) of Subpart E, Means of Egress as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission found at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=12885.

(c) The employer shall ensure required exits are provided on the derrick floor. A minimum of two (2) escape routes shall be available to provide alternate exits from the derrick floor to ground level when the derrick floor height is six (6) feet or more.

(d) The employer shall ensure that during rig-up and rig-down operations there is at least one (1) exit from the derrick floor.

(e) The employer shall ensure that any pump house has two (2) doors leading in different directions to the outside.

(f) The employer shall ensure access to exits and exit doors are not locked, blocked or obscured.

Section 5. Illumination and Workplace Lighting.

(a) The employer shall ensure adequate lighting, to include a minimum of five (5) lumens in all work areas governed by these rules and regulations when employees are present.

(b) In hazardous locations, the lighting shall be intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous location class and division based on the type of flammable materials present and their potential concentration. Location classifications can be found in 29 CFR 1910.399 Subpart S, Electrical, Definitions as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission found at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.39.

(c) The employer shall ensure the light from light fixtures is directed toward the objects to be illuminated and away from the eyes of the worker.

Section 6. Sanitation.

(a) The employer shall comply with 29 CFR § 1910.141(a) through 1910.141(h) of Subpart J, General Environmental Controls, as adopted in rule by the OSHA as it relates to Sanitation found at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9790.

Section 7. General Operation.

(a) The employer shall require all vehicles over ten-thousand pounds (10,000 lbs) gross vehicle weight (GVW) parked on location to be immobilized. Immobilization devices other than the vehicle’s transmission, emergency brakes or parking brakes shall be used.

(b) The employer shall perform a documented risk assessment to determine the appropriate safe location and distance from the wellbore for land operations. It shall include vehicles, housing, or areas where personnel gather who are not involved with the current operation being performed, or a combination thereof.

(c) The employer shall perform a documented risk assessment to determine the appropriate safe location and distance from the center of a derrick or mast for vehicles, housing, and areas where personnel gather who are not involved with the current operation to minimize the potential of the derrick or mast striking personnel or equipment in the fall zone.

Section 8. Ionizing Radiation.

(a) The employer shall comply with 29 CFR § 1910.1096(a) through 1910.1096(p)(3)(ii) of Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances, as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission as it relates to Ionizing radiation, found at: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1000.

Section 9. Respirable Crystalline Silica.

(a) The employer shall comply with the following based on the scope of work when occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica exists:

(i) The employer shall comply with 29 CFR § 1910.1053 (a) through 1910.1053(l)(4) of Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission found at: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1000.

(ii) During construction tasks, the employer shall comply with 29 CFR § 1926.1153(a) through 1926.1153(k)(3) of Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission found at: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.1100.

Section 10. Working Alone.

(a) Whenever an employee is working alone, the employer shall account for each employee either visually or through verbal communication at regular intervals appropriate to the job assignment, whichever occurs first.

Section 11. Occupational Noise Exposure.

(a) Employers shall be in compliance with Table 1. Permissible Noise Exposures shown below and with 29 CFR §§ 1910.94 - 1910.98 (2016) of Subpart G, Occupational Noise Exposure as adopted in rule by the OSHA Commission found at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9734.

(b) Protection against the effects of noise exposure shall be provided when sound levels exceed those shown in Table 1. Permissible Noise Exposures.

(c) When employees are subjected to sound levels exceeding those listed in Table 1. Permissible Noise Exposures, feasible administrative or engineering controls shall be utilized. If such controls fail to reduce sound levels to within the levels of the table, hearing protection shall be provided and used to achieve compliance with the table’s limits.

(d) If the variations in the noise level involve maxima at intervals of 1 second or less, it is to be considered continuous.

(e) In all cases where the sound levels exceed the values shown herein, a continuing, effective hearing conservation program shall be administered.

Table 1. Permissible Noise Exposures

Duration per day, hours	Sound level dBA slow response
8	90
6	92
4	95
3	97
2	100
1.5	102
1	105
0.5	110
0.25 or less	115