It’s no secret that offshore work can be deadly. By its very nature, the work is more dangerous than other professions in the country: offshore work often involves intense physical labor, complicated machinery, and hazardous substances.
In fact, the CDC reports that, between 2003 and 2010, the U.S. gas and oil industry “had a collective fatality rate seven times higher than for all U.S. workers (27.1 versus 3.8 per 100,000 workers).”
Most—two-thirds—of the fatalities involved workers in the oil and gas extraction industry—including those employed by well servicing companies, drilling contractors, and oil and gas operators. Transportation and material moving was found to be the leading cause of deaths by the CDC. Contact with substances or equipment, fires and explosions, and exposure to harmful substances were the next three leading causes.
The danger of the offshore industry is most clearly illustrated in the Deepwater Horizon explosion in 2011. This explosion on an ultra-deepwater, semi-submersible offshore oil drilling rig killed 11 crew members and caused the biggest offshore oil spill in the history of the U.S., ruining beaches along the Gulf Coast.
Civil and criminal settlements have cost BP $43 billion. The company may also be on the hook for another $18 billion in penalties, as a federal judge ruled in September of this year that BP was grossly negligent for the disaster. The judge found that BP ignored safety risks to cut costs and that the company’s actions “evidence an extreme deviation from the standard of care and a conscious disregard of known risks.”
The same judge ruled that two other companies, Transocean and Halliburton, shared some (though a lesser amount) of the blame for the disaster.
In the years since the Deepwater Horizon explosion, there hasn’t been a disaster to equal it. However, a recent accident on an offshore rig has revived safety concerns. According to WWLTV, one man was killed and three more were injured while cleaning a heater treater on a dormant oil platform off of South Pass.
As a result, watchdogs have raised concerns that too little oversight has made offshore accidents an “epidemic.”
Watchdog groups may have reason to worry. WWLTV reports that the government “is having a hard time watching smaller oil companies.”
In an explosion in 2012 that killed three people, federal investigators blamed the platform’s operator, Black Elk Energy, for not taking necessary precautions, for not identifying hazards, and for failing to follow federal regulations. Many of the workers have sued Black Elk Energy; nonetheless, the management team went on to start a new onshore venture.
The lack of oversight by federal regulators, coupled with the disregard for safety by some oil and gas companies, means that injuries and deaths could continue in the coming years. While offshore accidents may not be a true “epidemic,” we think that the number of accidents could be even lower with better adherence to safety protocols. The industry has shown, through Deepwater Horizon and the Black Elk energy disasters, that it is not fully capable of policing itself.
At the Law Offices of Matt & Allen, we believe that the life of the workers should always be more important than profits.
When companies cut corners and ignore safety regulations—whether because of carelessness or greed—it is the workers and their families who suffer the most.
An offshore accident injury can devastate a person’s life. The accident can result in extensive time spent in the hospital and thousands of dollars in medical bills. In addition, the worker may be unable to work while recovering, which can further jeopardize his financial situation.
We don’t believe that offshore workers deserve to pay for the negligence of an oil or gas company, which is why our firm is dedicated to representing injured offshore workers. We fight to make sure that every client gets the compensation and peace of mind he or she deserves.
For more information about what we do for injured offshore workers, visit our Offshore Accidents page. If you have been injured in an accident, please call us today for a consultation with an experienced offshore accident lawyer.
