Our society relies quite heavily on oil production, but it can be a dangerous industry for employees. There are a great number of day to day risks for oil workers whether it be cleaning up oil spills or working around refinement machinery. It is not actually oil itself that is the main danger it is more the environment in which oil workers work in, such as an offshore oil rig.
The machinery used to try and refine the oil can be dangerous. An oil rig is a dangerous place to be. Cleaning up oil spills can be dangerous as people could be exposed to toxins in the air and many of the dispersants used to clean up oil can be dangerous to humans. When used correctly dispersants can be an effect method of response to an oil spill. Dispersants are capable of removing large amounts of certain oil types from the sea, but that is a science in itself for which the details are quite technical.
Dispersants pose a risk to the health of humans as well as to the life of animals including fish, birds etc. One of the dispersants used at the BP oil spill was Corexit 9527A which contains the toxin 2 Butoxyethanol which can cause injury to red blood cells, kidney or the liver with repeated or excessive exposure. Past exposure to Corexit 9527A has led to health problems including blood in the urine and kidney/liver disorders. Unsurprisingly this has led to compensation claims.
Health and Safety is paramount on an oil rig.
Regular inspections of the oil rig should be undertaken to check the physical status of the plant and the machinery in use. Of course oil rig workers face the normal hazards as workers in other industries such as tripping and slipping whether it be over machinery or on oil etc. Although when you are on a rig in the middle of the ocean the potential consequences of a trip or slip are far greater than a slip in a supermarket for example.
As highlighted, tripping and slipping is a potential hazard. However this is more dangerous on an oil rig and workers often have other factors to manage in the course of their day to day job. On some offshore oil rigs the weather can be a significant factor. Although an act of nature things like snow, ice and heavy winds make the working conditions even more dangerous. It could be said that an oil rig is one of the most dangerous places that you could work. In the past oil rigs have been subject to structural collapse and sinking. In the middle of the ocean this could be catastrophic.
If you have been injured in the course of your employment, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. We deal with all types of personal injury claims. Do not hesitate to contact us today on 0800 634 75 75.
