The hazardous work on oil rigs is not limited to the more popular news items as explosions and fires. The number of moving parts on an oil rig makes this dynamic workplace an incredibly perilous space. Oil rig workers need to understand their risk areas during this work and the kind of injuries they might sustain.
A challenging environment
The environmental conditions that oil rig workers experience in California can range from violent storms, heavy seas and generally slippery conditions. Shifts tend to be long and arduous, with lack of sleep and major contributing factor in many accidents. Adding heavy machinery and great heights to that and you have a recipe for catastrophic injuries. Here are some of the danger areas for workers:
- Oil rig workers wear boots with good traction to help reduce slip-and-falls, but this isn’t always effective in preventing accidents.
- The multilevel platforms of oil rigs mean that a fallen worker may impact a lower work area or into the water.
- Not every company has a culture of safety. Some rig owners provide little safety training and inadequate maintenance of safety structures like railings and ladders.
- Falling objects also present a sizeable risk for workers who can suffer impact and crushing injuries.
- Worker fatigue is so common because workdays can extend without much pause for long periods of time.
A fatal accident highlights the seriousness of these hazards
Recently, a Santa Paula man died after an industrial accident occurred off the Ventura County coastline. The deceased man was one of three workers who fell from their oil platform. The height of their fall was between 30 and 50 feet. The two other men attempted to rescue their coworker, who was unconscious in the water below the rig. These workers suffered hypothermia from their efforts. If you were injured during your work on an oil rig, you need to determine whether negligence contributed to your accident.