Protecting Oil Workers Rights After an Accident
People who work on an offshore oil rig or in an oil field are doing one of the most dangerous jobs available. In order for workers to be safe, it is essential all required care and caution be exercised. Every applicable safety regulation must be followed. When this doesn’t happen, workers can experience accidents that will devastate them for life. If you or a loved one have been injured in an oil field accident a Texas personal injury attorney from the Law Offices of David Kohm can provide you expert legal advice.
Causes Of Accidents
It is possible for all required safety training to be completed, and an oil field accident can still occur. There are some common causes of accidents on oil fields and offshore oil rigs.
- Unenforced Safety Policies. This can happen in a busy working environment of an oil field or offshore oil rig. Safety policies can be put aside or even forgotten. This can occur because following safety policies may require more time on the task. When safety policies are not followed, the risk to workers increases significantly.
- Improper Supervision. Oil fields and offshore oil rigs are very active places. It is possible for them to be understaffed. A lack of proper supervision can easily cause an accident.
- Improperly Maintenance Of Equipment. The welfare of workers is put in jeopardy every time a piece of field equipment does not receive its scheduled maintenance.
- Improper Training. Too often a work site will hire workers with no training or experience. It’s also possible for training to be rushed because the work site is in need of workers. Using untrained workers increases the risk of injury for them as well as others workers.
- Fatigue. In all oil fields and on offshore oil rigs, the crews work long hours. They often work in 12-hour day shifts for seven days a week. Then, the workers will switch to working 12-hour night shifts. Workers can be called back to work at any time, even if they’ve just finished their shift. Fatigue can be a factor in any accident.
Common Injuries
There are some common injuries experienced by workers in oil fields and offshore oil rigs.
- Eye Injuries. These work environments often have blowing debris. This can scratch the cornea of a worker causing pain and damage to their vision. Workers have also experienced eye infections that resulted in permanent vision loss. Chemicals being splashed in a worker’s eyes, as well as fumes, can also damage their vision.
- Head Injuries. Workers can experience serious facial lacerations as well as skull fractures, concussions, traumatic brain injuries and more. Mild brain injuries can leave a worker with permanent memory issues. They could also have permanent neurological problems and more.
- Neck And Back Injuries. Working in oil fields and on offshore oil rigs is physically demanding. It is often necessary to lift heavy items. Workers have been hurt lifting heavy items or spending too much time lifting them.
- Burns. Workers are required to use equipment that can become very hot. They can experience burns from chemicals, steam, hot water as well as electrical shocks and more. This has caused workers to developed infections, permanent disfigurement, serious physical damage and more.
After An Accident
Once an oil field accident occurs, an oil company will work hard to gather all the information about the accident. Their goal will be to assess the situation and get a settlement out of court if necessary. A worker involved in an accident should never speak with a company’s insurance adjuster before they speak with a Texas personal injury attorney.
An experienced personal injury attorney can make certain an injured worker gets the amount of worker’s compensation they are entitled to receive. When an accident is caused by the negligence of another worker or the company, they may be able to obtain additional compensation. Speaking with a personal injury attorney will help a worker understand their situation. They will know what must be done to obtain fair compensation for their injuries.
Call the Law Offices of David Kohm today at any of our convenient locations and get a free consultation.
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