Common Injuries Sustained in Oil Field Accidents
The oil and gas extraction industry is responsible for employing hundreds of thousands of individuals in the U.S., according to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). While the demand for workers in this field is high, so is the risk. The oil and gas extraction industry is an extremely dangerous field for individuals to work in as they expose themselves to multiple hazards that put their lives at risk.
Some of the common hazards that contribute to fatal oil field accidents include:
Oil field accidents don’t only happen at oil and gas extraction sites. They also happen on the road. Once oil and gas is extracted from a site, it must be transported to various locations. If the trucks being utilized to transport the oil and gas aren’t serviced regularly or the drivers aren’t taking the necessary safety precautions to prevent an accident from occurring, collisions sometimes transpire.
If an individual was involved in a collision with an oil truck and injuries were sustained, an El Paso, TX oil truck accident attorney can help them understand their right to compensation.
- Struck-By/ Caught-In/ Caught-Between
According to OSHA, “three of every five on-site fatalities in the oil and gas extraction industry are the result of struck-by/caught-by/caught-in between hazards.” Oil field workers are required to perform tasks around heavy machinery and moving equipment. Unfortunately, these can serve as a hazard when workers aren’t properly trained on how to use them or they use them recklessly.
- Explosions/Fires
Because oil and gas industry workers are required to work around flammable vapors and gases, there is a chance they could ignite. If an oil field worker was injured as a result of a fire or explosion, an accident lawyer in El Paso, TX can determine:
- If they are eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
- If compensation can be recovered from other sources if the accident was caused by someone else’s negligence.
- Falls
Workers who are required to work high above ground or on a drilling platform are expected to be provided with the equipment they need to keep them safe. If defective equipment is provided or a worker hasn’t received the proper training, there is a chance they could fall and suffer severe or fatal injuries.
- Confined Spaces
Oil and gas extraction workers are sometimes required to “enter confined spaces such as petroleum and other storage tanks, mud pits, reserve pits, and other excavated areas.” While in these areas, workers may become exposed to hazardous chemicals, suffer from asphyxiation, or fall victim to an explosion.
Injured in an oil field accident in El Paso?
If an individual was injured in an oil truck accident or while working at an oil extraction site and they would like help with recovering compensation for their injuries and other losses, they can contact an El Paso, TX accident attorney. An oil field accident lawyer can determine what damages they are entitled to collect and help them fight for the compensation they are due.
To connect with an accident lawyer in El Paso now, contact Cooper Law Firm at (903) 297-0037.
Cooper Law Firm is located at:
Longview Office
501 N. Third Street
Longview, TX 75601
Phone: (903) 297-0037
Website: www.cooper-law-firm.com
Fort Worth Office
621 Hemphill Street
Fort Worth, TX 76104
