Working on an oil rig may be a thrilling and rewarding line of work. However, it is well known that there are common dangers on an oil rig that need to be acknowledged.
You never know what the future holds, even if you’ve escaped serious Houston oil rig accidents and injuries in the past. When working on a rig, it’s critical that you continue to take all precautions necessary to keep yourself safe.
This begins with an awareness of the most prevalent hazards encountered on an oil rig.
The Houston oil rig accident lawyers at West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD have put together a list of the five most common types of accidents on an oil rig that you need to be aware of.
Houston Oil Rigs Are Dangerous Places
Working on an oil rig isn’t what you’d call an “easy” job. Getting to and from the rig is challenging enough. You’re constantly in danger of injury considering the physical demands of this line of work.
Slippery surfaces can increase the chance of a fall. Heavy machinery and dirt clogging your workstation are all examples of common workplace hazards on an oil rig. These factors can be compounded during periods of inclement weather.
On top of that, you have a lot of faith in your employer. You want to think they’re doing all the federal oil rig safety checks in order to decrease the danger of drilling rig accidents.
Risk of Chemical Exposure on the Rig
Chemical exposure may bring both acute and long-term health concerns, which oil rig employees aren’t usually aware of.
Working in the oil and gas sector exposes employees to a variety of potentially hazardous substances and chemicals, including fluids used in heavy machinery and crude oil.
Chemical exposure may harm your body in a number of ways, including:
- breathing and lung problems
- burns
- organ damage
Fires and Blowouts on the Oil Rig
If you’ve heard of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, you’re fully aware of the perils of fire and blowouts on an oil rig.
Because of the combustible elements aboard the rig, these types of oil rig accidents are a constant concern.
For instance, if a leak occurs near combustible material, a fire or explosion is possible. This is in addition to potentially hazardous environmental circumstances.
Both fire and blowouts have the potential to result in catastrophic harm and death, and injured oil rig workers should contact a qualified workplace injury attorney in Houston to pursue lost compensation.
Oil Rig Machinery Accidents
The extraction of oil in the Texas marine oil and gas sector demands the usage of heavy-duty machinery—and that’s only the beginning of how this risky equipment is employed.
Even though you’ve been taught how to operate this equipment to its full potential, you never know when something will go wrong. It’s possible that the machine may break down, you’ll make a mistake, or a coworker will make a mistake.
If you haven’t had the appropriate training, don’t try to operate any machinery. This puts you and everyone else on the oil rig in danger, on top of the everyday hazards that already exist.
Oil Rig Transportation Accidents
Worker safety is jeopardized by helicopter transportation, which is a requirement when working on an oil rig. A potential hazard that can result in accidents is the transportation of employees to and from an oil rig by helicopter. In many cases, the journey to and from oil rigs may be as hazardous as the job itself.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 40% of fatal accidents in the oil and gas industry involved transportation.
Workers are transported from shore to the oil rig using boats and helicopters. If something goes wrong, such as a capsized boat or turbulent waves due to an oncoming storm, significant injury or even death might ensue.
Oilfield Accident Lawyers in Houston TX
Texas had the highest number of deaths in the oil and gas extraction sector in 2008. Oilfield accidents are known to put employees in a difficult situation, requiring them to cope with medical bills, missed wages, and other substantial losses. Workers who have been harmed on the job require competent legal counsel to assist them to receive just compensation.
West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD is here to assist you in recovering the full amount of your losses. Our Houston oilfield injury attorneys have spent their lives trying to hold massive corporations accountable for their negligence, recklessness, and wrongdoing.
Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD and Nader Rabie, JD will fight tirelessly for the rights of you and your family after a serious accident.
Contact West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD today at (713) 840-7200 for a free, no-obligation consultation if you have suffered serious injuries in the aftermath of a Houston oilfield accident.
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