The article discusses the development of the labor protection system in the health care of the Tyumen region in the context of creating the oil and gas industry. The stages of improving occupational health and safety, as components of the preventive direction of Soviet health care, are analyzed. The reasons for the high level of injuries at the enterprises of the oil and gas industry in the region are identified and justified, the types of occupational injuries are considered. Based on the study, the author concludes that in the Tyumen region, in the conditions of lack of funds and people, despite the targeted and systematic implementation of labor protection measures, the reduction of injuries and the incidence of illness among workers was extremely slow. These indicators were significantly higher than those for the Russian Federation and existing planned standards. The study of occupational safety and health at the enterprises of the WSOGC of the period under review multiplies the number of scientific problems studied, deepens knowledge on the history of health care in the Tyumen region. The materials of the article can be useful for conducting research on the history of Siberia, for developing independent special courses, as additional material for reading courses on History of the industry or region.