SafeLand vs PEC Basic Orientation: What the Difference Is and Which Card You Need

SafeLand and PEC Basic Orientation are not competing cards. SafeLand is the standard for basic onshore oil and gas safety orientation, and PEC Basic Orientation is a course that meets it. The course is now called Veriforce Basic Orientation 7.0, and Veriforce says it is accredited by SafeLand. So if an operator asks for "SafeLand" and you hold a current Veriforce (PEC) Basic Orientation card, you generally have what they mean. The exception is an operator that names a specific provider or its own orientation, which SafeLand says some do (SafeLand; Veriforce).

Why the names get mixed up

For years workers heard "SafeLand," "PEC SafeLand," "PEC Premier" and "PEC Basic" used for the same one-day class. A few things happened that explain it:

• SafeLand traces its origins to 2005, when the industry set out to agree on one basic safety orientation for onshore oil and gas. Today it runs as SafeLand Inc., a 501(c)(6) non-profit formed in 2020 (SafeLand).
• PEC taught its version as "PEC Premier Basic Orientation" through PEC Premier Safety Operations (course listing), so many cards and job postings still say PEC or PEC Premier.
• PEC and Veriforce merged in 2019 (Veriforce press release), and the course now carries the Veriforce name.
• The course was renamed. Veriforce says Basic Orientation 7.0 replaced SafeLandUSA Basic 2021, effective November 15, 2024 (Veriforce).

So one requirement shows up under several names. The card in your wallet may say any of them depending on when you took the class.

SafeLand vs PEC Basic Orientation at a glance

Sources: SafeLand; Veriforce; course syllabus.

How big SafeLand is

SafeLand says more than 1.5 million workers have been trained to its standard and that more than 180 oil and gas companies require it (SafeLand). That is why it shows up on so many onshore job postings and contractor packets in the Permian Basin. It is the baseline orientation, not a specialty ticket.

What the class covers

The Basic Orientation 7.0 course syllabus is a broad overview of the hazards a new hand will see on location. Modules include:

• The IOGP Life-Saving Rules
• Hazard communication and the chemicals on location
• Hydrogen sulfide health effects, IDLH atmospheres and NORM
• Respirable silica
• Heat stress
• Line of fire and struck-by hazards
• Driving safety

Veriforce also says the course is accredited by SafeGulf when the offshore module is added, which matters if you split time between land and Gulf work (Veriforce).

What it does not replace

Basic Orientation touches on H2S, but it is not an H2S certification. Operators that require H2S training ask for a separate class, and which one depends on the contract. Our guide to H2S awareness vs H2S Clear explains the difference, and what level of H2S is dangerous covers the exposure limits.

The same goes for first aid and CPR. Remote locations often call for trained first aid responders, which Basic Orientation does not cover. See OSHA first aid requirements for remote sites.

And neither card is the same thing as your company's account with a contractor compliance platform. Those are separate systems for insurance, programs and audits; our contractor compliance platforms guide sorts those out.

Does it expire?

Veriforce says Basic Orientation training does not expire and that the refresher is optional through eLearning (Veriforce; course syllabus). In practice, check the operator. Some contracts set their own retraining interval or want the newest version of the course, and the operator's word is what gets you through the gate. Anyone can verify a Veriforce card at PECCard.com, which is also a good way to check a new hire's card before the first day.

Before you hire on

• Ask the operator or contractor which orientation they accept, by name.
• Find out whether they also require H2S, first aid/CPR or a site-specific orientation.
• Keep a photo of your card on your phone and the digital ID handy.
• If your card is from an older version and someone balks, look it up on PECCard.com and let them see the record.