ABSTRACT
In 1993 a total of 356 accidents with injuries occurred in workers of 26 companies of oil and gas extraction in the eastern coast of Maracaibo Lake in Venezuela. 288 of them worked in drilling tasks. With the purpose of analyzing the factors that are associated with the drilling activities, the data base of the Venezuela Institute of Social Security, was reviewd. Only the first two digitis of the Standard Industrial Classification were used in this study. For preventive reasons this study focused on six variables: unsafe condition or mechanical cause, insecure action, external agent, type of the accident, part of the body injured and the nature of the injure. The following results were obtained: the frequency rate was 222.3 by 1,000, most of the were minor and were caused by not paying attention when walking on or around labor areas (37 pert cent), thus favoring being struck by lifting machines (14 pert cent); also 62 pert cent occurred in non-classified conditions that injured the upper and lower extremities (48 pert cent and 24 pert cent) producing contusions and crushing (39 pert cent). In conclusion, most injuries occurring in the activity of oil and gas extraction are due to factors controllable with preventive strategies