Reducing Oil Industry Injuries

A United States Department of Justice statement issued earlier this year states that a federal grand jury in Midland, Texas, charged an oil industry company and its vice president with obstructing a federal job safety investigation and violating federal clean air laws. The indictment alleged that violations of federal safe water laws and false statements made on forms documenting the company’s injection wells’ mechanical integrity, as well as three other job safety crimes, were responsible for the deaths of two employees overcome by hydrogen sulfide at a facility in Odessa.

In 2019, attorneys in Houston filed a lawsuit against the company and related entities on behalf of the families of the two victims. That oil field accident lawsuit came almost immediately after the United States Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said it found multiple safety issues at the site where the deaths occurred.

Best Oil Field Safety Practices

Everybody knows that oil field work is a grueling profession that takes a tremendous toll on a person’s health. None of that means people should be placing their lives in immediate danger, however, so employers need to take steps to help improve worker safety on job sites.

Some of the best accident prevention tips can include:

• A Comprehensive Training Program — An oil industry company should make sure that every employee hired undergoes the exact same training as the person before them, giving them everything they will need to know about doing the job safely.
• Focus on Slip and Fall Prevention — Many slip-and-fall accidents on job sites are the result of other workers leaving hazards in common paths, so it is important for employees to realize the importance of maintaining clean work areas and removing possible causes of trips.
• Regular Tool and Facility Maintenance — Oil companies should regularly evaluate every piece of machinery that employees are using and the areas they are working in to ensure that nothing is unsafe.
• Reduce Struck-By Hazards — A number of objects can be flying around various worksites, and workers who are not paying attention can easily be struck by such objects, so it becomes imperative to have adequate warnings about potential dangers in all unsafe areas and to educate people using devices posing risks.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) — Oil companies should equip their team with PPE that is rated to provide the appropriate level of protection. If your company provides safety equipment, use it.
• Stress Safety in All Communication — An oil industry company should be constantly educating everybody on safety, including all subcontractors.

Contact a Nueces County Oil Field Accident Attorney

If you sustained severe injuries or your loved one was killed in an oil field accident in Texas, you will want to get in touch with The Edwards Law Firm as soon as possible. Our firm can provide you with an experienced Corpus Christi oil field accident lawyer who will know how to thoroughly investigate your case and collect all of the evidence necessary to prove another party’s negligence. 

We know how insurance companies can be in their handling of these cases, so let us deal with insurers for you so you do not have to risk any of your possible compensation. You can call 361-698-7600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. 

Sources: 

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/charges-filed-connection-texas-oilfield-deaths

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2021/05/06/612880.htm