Health and Safety

Learn about how the oil and gas industry impacts health and safety through FracTracker articles, maps, and imagery.

Health and Safety Risks

The FracTracker articles and maps below explore the ways that unconventional oil & gas development impact public health and safety, including air pollution, water contamination, pipeline incidents such as explosions, fracking-induced earthquakes, and more. We analyze many of these issues through an Environmental Justice lens, considering that marginalized communities are disproportionately impacted by health issues caused by oil and gas activities.

Image Gallery

Explore our images of health and safety issues related to energy exploration, extraction, production, and fossil fuel products and byproducts.

East Palestine Disaster

Explore an album of images related to the February 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Related Articles

Oil and Gas Activity Within California Public Health Protection Zones

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Assessment shows hundreds of sensitive receptor sites located within 3,200 feet of operational oil and gas wells in California would have been protected if California Senate Bill 1137 had not been challenged by referendum.

Introducing Open-FF: Uncovering Fracking Chemicals

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Open-FF is an open-source project that transforms the FracFocus data into an easier-to-use resource to help researchers, interested community members and activists find what they need about fracking chemicals.

Studies Reveal Health Impacts from Fracking in Pennsylvania

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Studies in Pennsylvania find strong associations between hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) and health risks, including respiratory issues and increased risk of childhood cancer.
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