155 Hour Occupational Safety and Health Specialist for Oil and Gas Industry

The 155 Hour Occupational Safety and Health Specialist for Oil and Gas Industry program from the American Institute of Safety Professionals is a specialist-level certification that develops the advanced technical competencies required to serve as the subject-matter safety expert across upstream (exploration and production), midstream (transportation, storage, and processing), and downstream (refining and petrochemical) oil and gas operations. At 155 hours, this programme provides the deepest oil-and-gas-specific technical training in the American Institute of Safety Professionals catalogue at the specialist level, building the process safety, hazard assessment, industrial hygiene, and regulatory expertise that operators, drilling contractors, EPC firms, and oilfield service companies require from their senior technical safety personnel.

Oil and gas safety specialisation demands a technical depth that no other industry matches. The specialist must master Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119) at the programme-development level, not merely awareness: designing and facilitating Process Hazard Analyses using HAZOP, What-If, FMEA, Fault Tree, and Bow-Tie methodologies, developing management-of-change procedures, writing mechanical integrity programmes, and conducting PSM compliance audits. The specialist must design H2S management programmes that go beyond awareness training: contingency plan development, safe briefing area designation, atmospheric monitoring system design, escape route analysis, and rescue authorisation protocols. The specialist must assess offshore risks, wellsite hazards, pipeline integrity concerns, and refinery process hazards at the technical level that informs engineering controls and operational decisions.

The programme delivers 110 hours of mandatory core modules covering process safety management programme development, process hazard analysis methodologies, H2S programme design and management, oil and gas regulatory framework mastery (OSHA, API, BSEE awareness), petroleum industrial hygiene, offshore risk assessment, wellsite and drilling safety assessment, pipeline safety awareness, refinery and petrochemical hazard assessment, oil and gas incident investigation, and safety programme auditing for petroleum operations. An additional 45 hours of specialised modules cover advanced PHA facilitation, well control safety awareness, environmental compliance for petroleum operations, fire and explosion analysis for hydrocarbon environments, and loss-of-containment prevention.

All training is delivered 100 percent online through Microsoft Teams and the American Institute of Safety Professionals Learning Management System (LMS). Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, professional wallet card, and official transcript, all employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

Upon completing the 155 Hour Occupational Safety and Health Specialist for Oil and Gas Industry program, participants will be able to:

Prerequisite: Oil and gas industry experience is strongly recommended. The 70 Hour Oil and Gas Trainer provides an excellent foundation. The 30 Hour General Industry programme provides the OSHA 29 CFR 1910 regulatory base.

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. All credentials are employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

Level 1 → 70 Hour OSH Trainer for Oil and Gas Industry

Level 2 → 155 Hour OSH Specialist for Oil and Gas Industry - YOU ARE HERE

Level 3 → 164 Hour OSH Supervisor for Oil and Gas Industry

Level 4 → 192 Hour OSH Manager for Oil and Gas Industry

Level 5 → 233 Hour OSH Professional for Oil and Gas Industry 

Specialists seeking to advance into supervisory or management oil and gas safety roles should consider the 164 Hour Supervisor or 192 Hour Manager as their next step.

The 155 Hour Occupational Safety and Health Specialist for Oil and Gas Industry program develops the deepest oil-and-gas-specific technical competencies in the American Institute of Safety Professionals career ladder.

Core Modules (110 Hours)

• Process Safety Management Programme Development (15 Hours): 29 CFR 1910.119 at the programme-design level. Developing written documentation for all 14 PSM elements. Process safety information compilation. Operating procedure development: normal, temporary, startup, shutdown, emergency. Training programme design for process operations. Mechanical integrity programme: equipment lists, inspection schedules, testing protocols, documentation. Management of change procedures: technical changes, organisational changes, temporary changes. Pre-startup safety review protocols. Hot work permit programme for process areas. Contractor safety programme within PSM. Emergency planning specific to process incidents. PSM compliance audit programme design.
• Process Hazard Analysis Methodologies (15 Hours): HAZOP: node identification, guide-word application, deviation analysis, consequence evaluation, safeguard identification, recommendation development. What-If/Checklist: question development, scenario analysis. FMEA: failure mode identification, effect analysis, severity-occurrence-detection scoring, risk priority number calculation. Fault Tree Analysis: top event definition, gate logic, cut set analysis, probability calculation awareness. Bow-Tie Analysis: threat identification, barrier mapping, consequence pathways, barrier degradation factors. LOPA: initiating event frequency, independent protection layer assessment, target risk criteria. PHA team facilitation skills. PHA documentation and recommendation tracking.
• H2S Programme Design and Management (10 Hours): H2S properties, toxicology, and exposure limits in depth. Site-specific H2S contingency plan development: zone classification (0-500 ppm, 500+ ppm), wind rose analysis, safe briefing area siting, escape route design, alarm system specification. Atmospheric monitoring programme: fixed and portable H2S detectors, alarm set points, calibration schedules, maintenance protocols. SCBA programme management: equipment selection, deployment locations, inspection schedules, breathing air quality. Rescue authorisation programme: rescue zone entry criteria, rescue team qualification, medical response integration. H2S programme audit and continuous improvement.
• Oil and Gas Regulatory Framework Mastery (10 Hours): OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119 (PSM) at regulatory-text depth. 29 CFR 1910.146 (Confined Spaces) for process vessels. 29 CFR 1910.147 (LOTO) for process equipment isolation. 29 CFR 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection) for H2S and hydrocarbon environments. 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom) for petroleum chemicals. BSEE regulations awareness for Outer Continental Shelf operations. EPA RMP (40 CFR 68) awareness. API recommended practices: API RP 75 (Safety and Environmental Management Systems for offshore), API RP 754 (Process Safety Performance Indicators). Operator-specific safety standards and pre-qualification requirements.
• Petroleum Industrial Hygiene (10 Hours): Hydrocarbon exposure assessment: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene (BTEX), H2S, SO2, mercaptans. Exposure routes in petroleum operations. OSHA PELs and ACGIH TLVs for petroleum substances. Exposure monitoring strategies for upstream, midstream, and downstream operations. NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) awareness: scale, sludge, produced water. Drilling fluid (mud) exposure. Heat stress in enclosed process environments: fired heaters, compressor buildings, refinery units. Noise assessment: drilling rigs, compressor stations, pump stations, refinery units. Respiratory protection programme management for petroleum environments.
• Offshore Risk Assessment (8 Hours): Platform layout hazard analysis. Temporary refuge assessment. Escape, evacuation, and rescue (EER) analysis. Dropped object survey methodology. Fire and explosion risk assessment for offshore installations. SIMOPS (Simultaneous Operations) hazard assessment. Crane operations risk assessment for offshore. Marine operations safety: supply vessel, standby vessel, anchor handling. Helicopter operations risk management.
• Wellsite and Drilling Safety Assessment (8 Hours): Rig floor hazards: rotary table, drawworks, top drive, cathead, tongs. High-pressure equipment: manifolds, choke and kill lines, BOP stack. Well control awareness: kick recognition, shut-in procedures, well control equipment. Completion operations: perforating, stimulation, flow testing. Workover operations: pulling and running tubing, well servicing. Wireline and slickline operations. Coiled tubing operations. Wellsite crane operations. Wellsite electrical safety.
• Pipeline Safety Awareness (6 Hours): Pipeline construction safety: trenching, welding, hydrotesting, tie-ins. Pipeline integrity management awareness: in-line inspection, cathodic protection, anomaly assessment. Pipeline emergency response: leak detection, isolation, evacuation. Hot tapping and in-service welding safety. Pipeline right-of-way safety: third-party damage prevention, one-call systems.
• Refinery and Petrochemical Hazard Assessment (10 Hours): Refinery process unit hazards: atmospheric and vacuum distillation, catalytic cracking, hydrotreating, reforming, alkylation. Petrochemical plant hazards: olefin crackers, polymerisation, chemical synthesis. Fired equipment safety: heaters, boilers, flares. Rotating equipment safety: compressors, pumps, turbines. Tank farm safety: floating roof tanks, fixed roof tanks, internal floating roofs, tank cleaning and entry. Loading/offloading operations: truck, rail, marine.
• Oil and Gas Incident Investigation (8 Hours): Investigation methodology for process safety events: loss-of-containment, fire, explosion, well control incidents. Root-cause analysis applied to petroleum scenarios: Ishikawa, fault tree, barrier analysis, bow-tie, AcciMap. Evidence preservation at petroleum incident sites. Investigation coordination with OSHA, BSEE, CSB, operators, and insurers. Investigation report writing for petroleum incidents. Corrective action management and MOC integration.
• Safety Programme Auditing for Petroleum Operations (10 Hours): PSM compliance auditing per 29 CFR 1910.119.35. API RP 75 SEMS auditing for offshore. Operator audit preparation and facilitation. Developing audit protocols for upstream, midstream, and downstream operations. Non-conformance management. Corrective action governance. Audit programme maturity development.

Specialised Modules (45 Hours)

• Advanced PHA Facilitation (10 Hours): HAZOP facilitation mastery: team selection, node definition, P&ID reading, guide-word application, scribe documentation, recommendation prioritisation. Managing PHAs for complex processes: multi-unit interactions, batch processes, utility systems. PHA revalidation. Facilitating PHAs for management-of-change scenarios. LOPA in depth: protection layer identification, probability assignment, and risk reduction demonstration.
• Well Control Safety Awareness (8 Hours): Well control fundamentals: formation pressure, hydrostatic pressure, kick indicators. Primary and secondary well control. BOP equipment awareness: annular, pipe rams, blind/shear rams, BOP testing. Well control procedures: shut-in, well kill methods awareness (driller’s method, wait-and-weight). Surface well control equipment. Blowout contingency planning. Well control training programme design awareness.
• Environmental Compliance for Petroleum Operations (8 Hours): EPA regulatory framework for petroleum: Clean Air Act (NSPS, NESHAP), Clean Water Act (NPDES, SPCC), RCRA (hazardous waste management), CERCLA (Superfund), OPA 90 (Oil Pollution Act). Spill prevention and response: SPCC plans, FRP (Facility Response Plan). Air emissions management: VOC, flaring, combustion. Produced water management. Waste management for petroleum operations.
• Fire and Explosion Analysis for Hydrocarbon Environments (10 Hours): Fire types in petroleum: pool fire, jet fire, flash fire, fireball, BLEVE, vapour cloud explosion (VCE), boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion. Fire modelling awareness: consequence analysis for thermal radiation and overpressure. Fire and gas detection system design principles. Emergency shutdown system principles. Active and passive fire protection for petroleum facilities. Fireproofing. Deluge and foam systems. Flare system safety.
• Loss-of-Containment Prevention (9 Hours): Containment integrity management: corrosion mechanisms in petroleum service, inspection strategies, fitness-for-service awareness. Secondary containment design: dikes, bunds, containment sumps. Relief system design principles: pressure relief valves, rupture discs, flare systems. Leak detection and repair (LDAR) programmes. Isolation philosophy: single block, double block and bleed, spectacle blinds, line blinds. Valve management and critical valve programmes.

Participants will receive online training through Microsoft Teams and LMS. Courses are offered by accredited broadcasters and backed by expert instruction and official study materials. All assessments are conducted online and successful participants are awarded certificates that are accepted internationally.

The program is designed to offer flexible online learning with a minimum instructional contact time of 155 hours. Most learners successfully complete the course within one month, allowing them to progress at their own pace while balancing professional commitments.

Candidates can take this exam through an assigned portal from the American Institute of Safety Professionals. A passing score is 70% or higher, and exam results are provided right after by email to the address provided. The exam is open-book, allowing candidates to validate their answers. Any candidates who do not pass have 1 month after their exam to go through the training materials and can take the exam 3 additional times.

For questions about American Institute of Safety Professionals online fees, replacement certificates, additional hardbound materials or any other financial-related issues please feel free to contact accounts@amiosp.com