Sun, sand and floods

After more than 27 years as a health, safety and environment (HSE) professional, with two thirds of that time spent in Oman’s oil and gas sector, I’ve witnessed first-hand how climate change has transformed our approach to workplace safety. The unique challenges we face in the Gulf region, particularly in oil and gas operations, offer valuable insights into the broader impact of climate change on occupational health and safety.

Working in Oman’s oil fields has given me a front-row seat in witnessing the intensifying challenges of climate change. When I started my career, we typically planned for summer temperatures reaching 45°C. Now, we regularly see temperatures exceed 50°C in our field operations. This isn’t just a number – it’s a critical safety concern that has fundamentally changed how we approach worker protection.

The trouble I’ve seen

In our operations across the Sultanate, I’ve observed a variety of climate-related challenges.

• Heat stress incidents have increased by approximately 30 per cent in the last decade, which has particularly affected our field operators and maintenance teams.
• Our emergency response teams now handle more heat-related evacuations during the summer months.
• Dust storms have become more frequent and severe, affecting visibility and respiratory health.
• Flash floods in ‘wadis’ (dry river beds subject to flooding) have disrupted operations and created new safety hazards at remote sites.

Adapting our safety protocols

Based on these experiences, we’ve implemented a range of innovative solutions.

Heat stress management

Our company has developed a comprehensive heat stress management system that features:

• work breaks between 12:30 and 3:30pm during summer months (June–August)
• fatigue management checks made during peak summer season as part of daily activity monitoring
• periodic mandatory rest breaks every 45 minutes when temperatures exceed 45°C
• provision of hydrate drinks for all employees, which include the proper nutrients and salts
• installation of cooling stations at strategic locations across our facilities
• real-time body temperature monitoring for workers in high–risk areas
• flexible work scheduling during extreme weather conditions.

Infrastructure modifications

We’ve invested in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as:

• enhanced shelter designs at remote locations
• resting tents with cooling arrangements and makeshift rest shelter areas with air conditioning on buses
• weather monitoring stations at key facilities
• flood protection measures at wadi-crossing pipelines.

Socially sustainable operations

The social impact of climate change is seen particularly in how our workforce is composed. Many of our contractors employ workers from South Asian countries, who often come from agricultural backgrounds already affected by climate change. This has led us to implement worker support programmes and look at our supply chain resilience.

Worker support programmes

• Enhanced medical screening that considers climate-related health risks.
• Comprehensive health insurance that covers heat-related illnesses.
• Financial support for families affected by climate disasters in home countries.
• Skills development programmes to reduce dependency on physically demanding roles.

Supply chain resilience

Our experience of working with local suppliers has shown the need for climate-adaptive strategies that:

• support local contractors with upgrading their HSE capabilities
• develop alternative supply routes for critical equipment
• build redundancy into our supply chain to manage climate-related disruptions
• invest in local community resilience programmes.

What I’ve learned

From my experience, several key lessons stand out.

1. Prevention is critical
   The cost of implementing preventive measures is far less than managing heat-related incidents. We've seen a 60 per cent reduction in heat stress cases after implementing our comprehensive monitoring system.
2. Technology adoption
   Investing in weather monitoring and early warning systems has proved invaluable. Our weather stations now provide real-time data that helps us make proactive decisions about work scheduling.
3. Worker engagement
   Involving workers in developing heat stress protocols has significantly improved compliance. Their practical insights have helped us create more effective safety measures.
4. Community connection
   Supporting local communities in climate adaptation has strengthened our social license to operate and improved our understanding of regional climate impacts.

Looking ahead

As a HSE professional working in Oman’s oil and gas sector, I see both challenges and opportunities. The energy transition presents a chance to reimagine workplace safety in a changing climate. I believe our industry’s experience in managing extreme conditions can provide valuable lessons for other sectors facing similar challenges.

So, we must continue to:

• invest in climate-resilient infrastructure
• develop innovative worker protection systems
• support vulnerable workers and communities
• share best practice across industries
• integrate climate considerations into all HSE protocols.

The path forward calls for a commitment to be made to both environmental and social sustainability. As HSE professionals, we have a unique responsibility to protect our workers while contributing to the broader dialogue on climate adaptation. Our experience in our oil and gas sector demonstrates that with proper planning, investment and commitment, we can create safer workplaces - even in the face of increasing climate challenges.