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54. As in other 24-hour a day industries, a complex and varied system of shifts and hours is
required to ensure continuous operation. Where limits on normal working hours are
strictest, more people will need to be employed in order to adhere to them and meet the
enterprise’s needs. Where there is more flexibility, longer blocks of work are possible,
compensated by a longer period of time off, within a limit averaged over a month or more.
Such roster systems should be designed to address the risks of fatigue, particularly for
night-shift workers, and have in place a suitable risk management system.
3.3. Annual leave
55. The ILO Holidays with Pay Convention (Revised), 1970 (No. 132), requires that workers
be entitled to an annual paid holiday of not less than three working weeks. During the
holiday, they must receive at least their ordinary wage, which must be paid prior to their
absence. The annual vacation can be divided into more than one period, one of which must
consist of at least two uninterrupted working weeks. The timing of the holiday must be
determined after consultation with the employee or his or her representatives, taking into
account both work requirements and the rest and relaxation opportunities available to the
worker.
56. Table 3.7 shows that the average number of days paid leave per year for oil workers in the
United Kingdom in 2003 was close to the national average. However, about 10 per cent of
oil workers (possibly contract or temporary workers) in the oil extraction and related
activities sectors received no paid leave. A higher proportion of workers in these sectors
work on public holidays, reflecting the 24-hour a day operation of the industry.
Table 3.7. Paid leave entitlement and worked bank holiday payment
in the oil industry in the United Kingdom, 2003
Oil
extraction
Related
activities
Refining Manufacturing
sector
All UK
employment
Average number of days of paid leave per year 33.5 34.2 32.2 29.9 33.5
Employees with 0 days paid leave (%) 10.9 10.0 3.2 1.9 4.2
Employees that worked on a bank holiday in 2003 (%) 63.3 57.1 34.3 23.6 29.0
Source: UK Labour Force Survey, autumn quarter, weighted data.
3.4. Occupational safety and health
57. In addition to common industrial risks, oil and gas workers confront potential risks to their
health at work because of the flammable or poisonous nature of products which they
produce. One hazardous chemical is benzene, a human carcinogen. The occupational
exposure limits for benzene have been made more stringent over time. The American
Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists’ recommended threshold limit valuetime
weighted average for benzene was reduced to 0.5 parts per million (ppm) (1.6 mg/m 3 )
in 1997. The short-term exposure limit is 2.5 ppm (8mg/m 3 ). In most countries, the
permissible exposure limit for benzene is 1 ppm or less.
58. Occupational exposure to benzene and total hydrocarbons was studied in the following
categories of downstream operation: refinery, pipeline, marine, rail, bulk terminals and
trucks, service stations, underground storage tank, tank cleaning and site remediation. The
results showed that the majority of the values were well within the acceptable limits.
However, although relatively few workers are exposed, their level of exposure to benzene
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