Roustabouts frequently assist skilled workers such as welders, electricians, and mechanics. They generally work under the supervision of a maintenance superintendent. Roustabouts' work is fairly strenuous and requires frequent bending, stooping, climbing, and heavy lifting. Working Conditions Roustabouts' work is fairly strenuous and requires frequent bending, stooping, climbing, and heavy lifting. Hazards include falls from rigs or derricks and other platforms, injuries from falling objects, cuts and abrasions from various tools and equipment, and sore or strained muscles from heavy lifting.
Roustabouts work outdoors in all kinds of weather.
Those working on offshore rigs and platforms can experience strong ocean currents, tides, and storms. They live on the drilling platform for a week at a time and return to shore by helicopter or crewboat. Many drilling operations continue 24 hours a day until oil is discovered or the location is abandoned as a dry hole. Roustabouts working with drilling crews move from place to place since their work in a particular field may be completed in a few weeks or months. Those who work on production wells usually remain in the same location for long periods.