Dusty Roach
Happy New Year! I am certainly glad 2020 is in the rear-view mirror. I only wish this COVID-19 (Corona virus) was in the rear-view mirror as well. So, greetings and salutations. To say that 2020 was a strange and tough year is like calling Moby Dick a guppy. If you are reading this, I hope you and yours have survived unscathed. Last year took its toll not only in the oil and gas industry, but across our entire nation and the world as we know it. Aside from the obvious effects of COVID on our society, such as the loss of life, as well as the impacts on health, employment, economy, etc., it has affected our general state of mind. As I have said in previous articles, we are a resilient industry and loaded with tough and resilient people. I know this because I have seen our resolve and experienced it firsthand.
I am also aware that the bulk of the workforce is able to see things from a different perspective than perhaps the rest of the population that are not in our industry. We see an issue, or a problem come up and we have unique ways of looking at an issue, but it is head on. Then we find a solution, because we have to, in order to compete. We as an industry have a great deal of pride and a “can do” attitude. Not everyone in the world understands how to approach life like we do. Here is a small example how the guy in the field sees things:
Numerous years ago, when I just broke out as a toolpusher after working my way up through the ranks, from the top doghouse I saw a roughneck dragging a chain across the location. I had given him a different project just minutes before. I yelled at him “Hey hand! What in the #$% Sam Hill are you dragging that chain across the location for?” To which he replied without losing a step, “Have you ever tried pushing one?” It cracked me up. 1. He responded as if I were the idiot for asking the question. 2. He had a mission, and he was focused on the completion. Simple perspective, but he knew what he had to do.
For the most part in our industry, we are grounded. We know what we have to do in order to get through these trying times. We have done it before. This is my 8th downturn since I began in 1971. However, this pandemic, with its political upheaval and economic downturn, has weighed heavily on our hearts and minds. Suicides, divorces, and domestic issues have risen. Companies have gone out of business. Big fish are eating the little fish and downsizing. Numerous individuals did not ever plan on anything like this current situation.
So where am I going with this? My title and expertise are Safety, Health, and Environmental. The mental health aspects of all the unexpected trials and tribulations is taking its toll. There are certain steps to take to prevent, redirect, or stave off most of these unpleasant circumstances that cause mental selfdestruction. Below are a few of these:
• Learn to recognize depression/desperation.
• Seek guidance from a professional.
• Stay busy doing productive projects.
• Help others.
• Recognize warning signs (mood changes, panic attacks, excessive drinking or use of illicit drugs, adopting means of escapism, etc.)
• Attend church if you are religiously inclined or not inclined.
• Tell a friend, family member, or loved one that you need help.
Those are a few steps you can take. Probably the hardest step is to self-recognize and/or act on it. The stark reality is that 2020 has already taken its toll either directly or indirectly. For those companies that are still operating, Human Resources is a source I highly recommend. As the name states, they have training and resources.
Next month I will be getting back to the nuts and bolts of safety. Until then, take care of yourself and your family, physically and mentally. Let’s make 2021 better. As for 2020, good-bye. And as always, it is not how many hits you have in baseball. It is how many times you reach home safely.
Dusty Roach