| Working on an oil rig is demanding work. For example, | | | | completed, each student takes a final exam lasting for |
| a person who is working on a land rig in Alberta can | | | | one hour. A minimum grade of 70 percent must be |
| expect to work two weeks straight and then get one | | | | achieved to pass the course. |
| week off. They will be working 12 hour days, which | | | | Someone who has some experience working on the |
| works out to 84 hours per working week. Pay is | | | | oil rig may be interested in enrolling in the Drilling |
| calculated based on 44 hours of regular pay and 40 | | | | Safety Manager/Trainer program. This program is |
| hours of overtime. | | | | conducted over five weeks. |
| Offshore oil rig workers will likely be scheduled for two | | | | The first part of the safety drilling safety manager |
| weeks on and two weeks off. A roughneck can | | | | program is a one-week course on safety |
| expect to make between $60,000.00 and $70,000.00 | | | | management. It covers basic oil drilling from a |
| per year, plus bonuses. These workers also get | | | | non-technical point of view, including the role the |
| excellent bonuses. | | | | various crew members on the rig play in the operation. |
| If you are interested in working on an oil rig, you will | | | | Slides, videos, and PowerPoint presentations are used |
| want to be prepared for what working (and living) in | | | | to explain to students how to lay down pipe, make a |
| this type of environment will be like. A number of | | | | connection safely, how to use tongs, and how tripping |
| companies offer courses for new workers. | | | | pipe works (in and out of the hole). When this portion |
| A Basic Offshore Survival & Firefighting | | | | of the course is finished, the student will have learned |
| Certificate course can be completed in a few days. | | | | to identify unsafe practices on the drilling floor. |
| Once you have successfully completed it, you will | | | | The second part of the course takes three weeks, |
| receive a certificate that is valid for a period of four | | | | and is designed to give the participants the information |
| years. Having this certificate in hand will make you | | | | they will need to develop and implement safety |
| more attractive to a prospective employer than | | | | programs on an oil rig. It includes fall safety and how to |
| someone who does not have this designation. | | | | erect scaffolding properly to avoid accidents. Basic fire |
| The course will cover how to use lifejackets correctly, | | | | safety is covered, along with how to safely work in |
| swimming techniques, and water safety. Students also | | | | confined area. Other topic areas include basic First Aid, |
| learn how to climb a rope and how to safely jump into | | | | CPR, Hazardous Materials, and Occupational Health |
| the water from a considerable height. | | | | and Safety issues. |
| Maritime Drilling Schools Ltd. is one example of a | | | | In the third part of the course, the students receive |
| company offering oil rig training to prospective oil | | | | instruction on how to use Microsoft Office programs |
| workers. Classes are offered at locations in Nova | | | | (PowerPoint, Excel, and Word) to create training |
| Scotia, Florida, South Africa, and Australia. | | | | materials for employees. Part of the Drilling Safety |
| A person enrolling in the Pre-Employment Floorman (or | | | | Manager/Trainer's job responsibilities are to educate |
| Roughneck) program will receive 20 days of rig training | | | | fellow workers about safety issues. In addition, these |
| (hands on), safety procedures, and drilling. Students will | | | | people will be asked to prepare safety reports, |
| learn about the different parts of an oil rig and how the | | | | including charts and graphs, so that safety |
| drilling process works. Once the course has been | | | | documentation is kept current. |