Oil and Gas Industry Accidents
Oil and gas accidents, injuries, and deaths have become a serious and all-too-common occurrence as the industry continues to grow at a tremendous rate. According to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from 2003 to 2016, 1,485 oil and gas extraction workers died on the job. The oil and gas industry is a vital part of the economy, but it is also fraught with dangers for employees. With a fatality rate seven times higher than the rate of all U.S. industries, it is important to stay safe and know your rights in case you or a loved one are injured.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the most common accidents in the oil and gas industry are:
- Fracking accidents
- Fires / explosions
- Explosions
- Vehicle accidents
- Exposure to toxic chemicals
- Team injuries
- Falls
- Defective equipment/machinery
- Blowouts
- Crush injuries
- Exposure to hazardous chemicals
- Lacerations
- Fracture and broken bones
- Burns
- Chemical burns
- Whiplash or other neck injuries
- Concussion
- Brain Injuries
- Paralysis
OIL AND GAS INJURIES: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
In the oil and gas industry, it’s common for many different service providers, working for several different business entities, to work on various phases of work. Determining which organization is responsible for injuries and damages can be complicated.
Our team at Big River Trial Attorneys has the experience to help you determine the factors that contributed to your injury, the responsible parties, and the steps you need to take to obtain the compensation you deserve. We understand the emotional toll and devastating effects that oil and gas injuries and accidents can have on you and your loved ones. Stress alone can make it difficult to think about legal matters. Rest assured, we’re here to take the burden of those responsibilities off your shoulders. With Big River Trial Attorneys on your side, we’ll handle the process from start to finish, and you can rest assured that we’ll ensure the best possible results for your case.
NATIONAL OIL AND GAS STATISTICS
More than 450,000 workers were employed in the oil and gas extraction and support industries in 2011 (Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages). These workers are involved in many different industrial processes necessary to successfully drill and workover a well. These methods frequently require the use of specialized equipment and specialized work crews. From 2003 to 2016, 1,485 oil and gas extraction workers died on the job, a fatality rate seven times higher than the rate for all U.S. industries (Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries).
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON WORKPLACE INJURIES?
Oil and gas workers are prone to all kinds of injuries due to the natural hazards of the job. But the most common types of injuries aren’t what you might think. Here are the highlights:
1. Driving Is the Most Dangerous Job in the Oil and Gas Industry
Most oil and gas deaths are transportation-related, especially when workers drive from one job site to another on unsafe rural roads. Approximately four out of ten workplace deaths occur as a result of vehicle collisions. Transportation accidents are the most common cause of fatal workplace injuries in the oil and gas extraction industries. This type of accident was responsible for nearly 50 percent of the industry’s workplace deaths in 2011 alone. Workers are often expected to take long shifts away from home. Oil and gas employees are often not subject to regulations that prevent truck drivers from working long shifts on the road, which pressures employees to make long commutes home after shifts that can be 20 hours or more.
2. Machine-Related Injuries
Three out of five wellhead fatalities occur as a result of hazards associated with workers being struck, caught, and trapped between moving vehicles or equipment, high-pressure lines, and falling equipment. Oil and gas companies use dangerous equipment and heavy machinery, leading to workplace injuries. Heavy lifts, hoists, derricks, drills, and loading and unloading materials can cause crushing injuries or trauma. Furthermore, the machines used for drilling are extremely noisy and can cause hearing loss. It is imperative that oil and gas companies require operators to wear proper protective equipment, such as earplugs and gloves, while operating equipment.
It’s an unfortunate reality that the combination of dangerous equipment, long shifts, and worker fatigue can be a recipe for disaster. Workers can suffer dismemberment, crushing, or even death when caught in compressors, pumps, and other heavy equipment. Oil and gas companies must follow OSHA regulations to minimize the risk of these types of injuries by frequently checking their equipment and ensuring employees have proper safety equipment and adequate breaks.
3. Chemical Exposure Illness
Chemical exposure is common in the oil and gas industry. The processes involved in drilling can release harmful chemicals into the workplace. In particular, oil refineries can release hydrofluoric acid, which can scar the lungs and cause death by asphyxiation. It is so harmful that it can penetrate the skin and react with calcium deep in our bones. Long-term exposure to other chemicals in refineries and wells can lead to respiratory problems, brain damage, paralysis, leukemia, and other types of cancer.
In the short term, workers exposed to oil industry chemicals report headaches, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation, and chemical burns. It is essential that oil and gas companies require workers to wear proper protection and respirators while working both on the platform and in the refinery.
4. Fires and Explosions
Flammable gases and vapors pose risks to oilfield workers when released from tanks, shale agitators, trucks, generators, engines, wells, and other production or surface equipment. Fires and explosions can start when these materials come into contact with lightning, static electricity, cigarettes, welding and cutting tools, open flames, electrical sources, and even hot surfaces. Employers can prevent catastrophic injuries to workers by conducting fire risk assessments, enforcing workplace safety guidelines, and must have an adequate fire prevention plan and take all necessary precautions to avoid tragedy.
5. Falls
Oil and gas workers often have to perform their jobs at high elevations, making them more vulnerable to injuries associated with falls. Falls from drilling rigs and elevated equipment can cause serious and life-threatening injuries. OSHA requires employers to provide fall protection to protect workers from these hazards.
Other threats in the oil and gas industry that put workers at risk include confined spaces, ergonomic hazards, handling high-pressure lines and machinery, handling electrical power, and hazards associated with wellhead equipment.
Hand and Finger Injuries Surpass Any Other Type
The dangers of working in the oil and gas industry are no secret: the hazards are well known, and industry safety standards reflect that fact. But what might not be so obvious is the sheer volume of hand and finger injuries compared to all other recorded incidents. By far, hands suffer the most abuse and bear the most risks.
According to the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC), hand and finger injuries represent a much higher percentage than any other category. U.S. land totals were nearly 40 percent in 2015, with a combination of other injuries, such as head, back, and torso injuries, making up the remainder of reported events.
Most oil and gas companies have a hand and finger safety campaign in place. Educational posters on-site and worker training create a helpful environment of awareness, especially for more experienced workers. IADC reports show that after five years in the industry, workplace incidents decrease significantly.
However, awareness and experience are only part of the job. To combat the ever-increasing number of injuries, companies must approach safety from the inside out by minimizing the potential for risk rather than just providing protection. If protection fails, the worker is subject to the full brunt of the hazard.
OIL AND GAS LAWS AND PROTECTION
- OSHA Standards: The General Duty Clause of the OSH Act requires employers to provide workers with a safe workplace free from recognized hazards.
- General Protection: Applicability of 29 CFR 1926 to Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations.
- Hazardous Chemicals: Respiratory Protection in Oilfields.
- Fire and Explosion: Flame-Resistant Clothing requirements.
- HHC employer obligations regarding contractor safety programs.
- Standards and Enforcement: Complete list of safety and enforcement standards.
CONTACT A KNOWN AND EXPERIENCED OIL AND GAS ATTORNEY IN BATON ROUGE TODAY
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in an oil and gas accident, you need the experienced team of attorneys at Big River Trial Attorneys who can act quickly and conduct an investigation that will ensure you get the money you need for expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
At Big River Trial Attorneys, our compassionate and experienced attorneys are here to help you. We accept a limited number of cases so that our full time and attention is focused on getting you the compensation and justice you deserve. We invite you to request a free and confidential consultation with one of our oil and gas attorneys so you can get your questions answered and feel confident about your next step. Call us today at 225-437-2733 to schedule an appointment and meet our team.
