Some of the top injuries affecting oilfield workers include:
- Amputations
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Burn injuries
- Concussions
- Crush injuries
- Death
- Electrocution
- Head injuries
- Limb injuries
- Neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Skin injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Toxic exposure
- Traumatic brain injuries
Injuries on the Job in Oilfields is Common
Unfortunately, Texas is no stranger to accidents in the oil and gas industry. While federal and state laws regulate the industry in order to ensure a safe environment. Oilfield injuries and even deaths are not uncommon. According the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas accounts for 40% of all oil field related fatalities in the country.
Texas oil and gas workers are faced with life-threatening dangers on a daily basis while performing their jobs and are injured all too often.
Causes of Oilfield Injuries
Oilfield workers have some of the most dangerous and stressful jobs in the United States. The potential hazards an oilfield worker faces during the course of a routine day on the job are significant and ubiquitous.
Oil Transportation Accidents
Oil is transported from place to place by vessels, trains, trucks, and more. Due to the volatile nature of oil and gas products, if one of these methods of transportation fails, such as with a crude oil train derailment or a workplace truck accident, the results can quickly turn deadly.
Explosion and Fire
Explosions are one of the most common oilfield accidents, and they are many times fatal. When they cause serious injuries, the accident victims often require lifetime medical care, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.
Chemical Leak or Release
Many of the substances used in refining oil and gas products contain dangerous chemicals. If those chemicals are not stored properly, it can lead to acid or chemical burns.
Pipeline Rupture
When a pipeline ruptures, thousands of barrels of oil may be released directly into the area where the rupture occurred. When a gas line ruptures, the risk of fire only increases. The injuries from pipeline explosions can be catastrophic.
Gas Leak
There are three grades of gas leaks: grade 1 leaks require immediate action; grade 2 leaks are non-hazardous but they should be repaired as soon as possible; and grade 3 leaks are the least troublesome. Regardless of the rating, any gas leak can cause symptoms in workers exposed to the toxic fumes.
Oil Spills
Oil spills can have extreme health, economic, and environmental effects, and can impact employees, residents, and businesses in the nearby area – sometimes for years or decades after the initial spill.
Crane Failures
Cranes are a common sight along the Gulf Coast, where they are used everyday in oilfields, refineries, and elsewhere. These huge pieces of machinery injure and kill Texas workers every year.
Fracking Accidents
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” has produced billions of dollars in revenue for Texas oil companies. But fracking, which involves the high-pressure injection of water or a fluid mixture into a borehole to create cracks in deep-rock formations through which gas or petroleum can flow, is inherently dangerous for those performing the task.
Defective Equipment
The oil and gas industry requires the use of heavy machinery and complex equipment. In order for this equipment to perform at its best, routine maintenance is required to ensure its quality and safety. Any instance of defective, damaged, or otherwise sub-standard performing equipment can have deadly consequences for those operating the machines.
Orphaned Wells and Their Impact on Humans and the Environment
Orphaned wells, once serving as petroleum reservoirs for oil and gas, often leak and may now be a primary source of methane emissions, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. Leaking wells risk the contamination of groundwater, the surface environment, and the atmosphere due to methane exposure. While detectible methane levels may appear in well water through natural exposure, orphaned wells and those that remain unplugged may expose the water’s consumers to higher levels of methane.
Methane in the environment increases the risk of developing asthma and certain cancers, aggravates chronic lung diseases, and impacts existing heart problems. Individuals exposed to methane during pregnancy may be more likely to have a child with birth defects. The American Lung Association (AMA) cited incidents in Arlington that highlight the dangers of methane and natural gas wells.
Children spending significant time near orphaned wells or plugged orphaned wells that leak may be subject to impacted respiratory development. Their health may suffer from faster breathing rates, inhibited lung development, and more time spent outside in the presence of methane.
In addition to methane, benzene, arsenic, and hydrogen sulfide may escape into the environment from orphaned wells.
Hydrogen Sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is an explosive and highly flammable gas. Unsuspecting Texans living near orphaned wells may potentially suffer a higher risk of severe burns.
They may also suffer from gas and toxic vapor exposure from escaped hydrogen sulfide. Symptoms of hydrogen sulfide exposure might include headaches, poor attention span and memory, poor motor function after awakening, cardiovascular issues, and unconsciousness at high levels of exposure.
Benzene
Exposure to benzene from leaking underground storage tanks may contaminate well water. Benzene interrupts the cell activity in the body, causing the cells to malfunction. Ultimately, the impact of benzene exposure from orphaned wells is dependent on the amount of exposure, how you are exposed, how long the exposure occurs, your age, and other pre-existing medical conditions.
Because leaks from orphaned wells are often undetectable for some time, exposure may be ongoing.
Arsenic
Arsenic exposure from orphaned wells in Texas may create numerous acute and long-term health effects. Immediate symptoms of arsenic poisoning may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, muscle cramps, and vomiting. Over time, arsenic may impact drinking water and cause pigmentation changes in the skin, lesions, and hyperkeratosis.
Adverse pregnancy outcomes may occur along with infant mortality. Exposure can also lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary disease. Arsenic exposure has also been associated with various cancers, such as those affecting the skin, lungs, and bladder.
If you or someone you loved was injured in a Texas oilfield, contact our Houston workplace injury attorneys today to setup a free consultation.
