There was a time when most people just accepted that illness, injury, and death were simply part of the risk you took when you went to work each day. Throughout most of human history, there were few if any protections for anyone in the workplace. As the Industrial Revolution took … Continue reading
In the past, when an employee sustained an on-the-job injury he or she would simply file a workers’ compensation claim and receive benefits covering medical expenses and a reasonable percentage of lost wages. Most employers under state laws are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. It’s a “no-fault” system, meaning … Continue reading
The oil industry has seen more fatalities from explosions than any other private industry, according to an Environment & Energy Daily article on WyoFile. More than 10 percent of all job-related fatalities can be directly attributed to oil industry explosions and fires – despite the fact the oil industry only employs approximately one percent … Continue reading
Certain types of jobs pose a far higher risk to employees than others. Construction workers, oil rig workers, and miners are just a few of the occupations having a high risk of suffering from injuries. Accidents in the workplace can and do happen all the time. Equipment failure is a … Continue reading
Work in the oil fields can be a dangerous prospect. From falling debris to explosions, oil industry workers face a range of threats on an almost daily basis. Yet, considering the potential for catastrophe in the world of the oil industry, smaller scale, less obvious dangers can easily go ignored. … Continue reading
Years ago, the Gulf of Mexico was host to the worst accidental oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. Also called the BP oil disaster and the Macondo blowout, Deepwater Horizon was not only an ecological nightmare; the explosion that caused it killed 11 men and injured 17 others. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is an independent federal agency tasked with investigating serious chemical accidents. Chemical Safety Board investigators released a preliminary report about the causes of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident. What they found was startlingly reminiscent of the March 2005 BP Texas City Refinery disaster. In both the Texas City incident and Deepwater Horizon, BP was found to have focused solely on reportable lost time accidents, to the exclusion of process safety. BP is not the only oil company that has missed the big picture in terms of safety. In an agency press release tied to the Deepwater Horizon report, Chemical Safety Board chairperson Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso said that a number of investigations “have found companies focusing on personal injury rates while virtually overlooking looming process safety issues – like the effectiveness of barriers against hazardous releases, automatic shutoff system failures, activation of pressure relief devices, and loss of containment of liquids and gases.” While it is a good thing that oil companies are paying attention to hazards that cause individual injuries, that is only half of the picture. Greater focus on process-wide improvements could prevent disasters like Deepwater Horizon and the significant liability they create for oil companies. For injuries that occur at oil refineries and other land-based petroleum operations, a workers’ compensation claim is the most likely legal remedy, with the possibility of additional compensation being available from responsible third parties. However, for offshore accidents like the Deepwater Horizon explosion, injured employees or the family members of employees who were killed need to file a legal claim for negligence in order to secure compensation. For an oil company to be negligent, they must have failed in some duty and in doing so caused injury or death. Ignoring process safety is a prime example of one way in which oil companies may fail in their duty to protect workers. The Ecological Impact The Deepwater Horizon spill had catastrophic ecological consequences. Millions of barrels of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico, contaminating marine and coastal ecosystems. This disaster affected wildlife, fisheries, and habitats, leading to the death of countless marine animals, including dolphins, sea turtles, and numerous bird species. The spill also devastated local industries, such as fishing and tourism, causing economic hardship for communities dependent on these resources. Investigative Findings and Oversights The U.S. Chemical Safety Board’s report highlighted a series of safety oversights and systemic failures at BP. Among the critical findings were: Lack of Comprehensive Risk Management: BP focused on personal injury rates but neglected broader process safety measures. This oversight contributed to a failure in identifying and mitigating risks associated with deep-water drilling operations. Inadequate Safety Barriers: The investigation revealed that several safety barriers, designed to prevent blowouts and contain hazardous releases, were either ineffective or not properly maintained. Faulty Equipment and Procedures: Key equipment, such as the blowout preventer, failed to function correctly. Additionally, emergency response procedures were insufficient to address the scale of the disaster. Comparisons to the 2005 Texas City Refinery Disaster The parallels between Deepwater Horizon and the 2005 Texas City Refinery disaster are striking. Both incidents involved BP and highlighted a pattern of prioritizing short-term metrics over comprehensive safety practices. The Texas City explosion resulted in 15 deaths and over 170 injuries, underscoring the catastrophic potential of such safety lapses. The Role of Regulatory Bodies Regulatory bodies play a crucial role in enforcing safety standards and conducting oversight in the petroleum industry. However, the Deepwater Horizon disaster exposed significant regulatory shortcomings. The Minerals Management Service (MMS), the agency responsible for overseeing offshore drilling, was criticized for its cozy relationship with the oil industry and lax enforcement of safety regulations. Lessons Learned and Reforms In the wake of Deepwater Horizon, several reforms were implemented to enhance offshore drilling safety. These include: Strengthening Safety Regulations: New regulations mandated more stringent safety measures, such as improved blowout preventers, real-time monitoring of drilling operations, and stricter inspection protocols. Reorganization of Regulatory Agencies: The MMS was restructured into three separate entities to eliminate conflicts of interest and improve regulatory oversight. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) was created to specifically focus on enforcing safety and environmental regulations. … Continue reading
When we say someone has been “in the trenches,” we mean they have done the tough, grueling work that had to be done. People in the construction industry can relate to this, but for some, being in the trenches is what they literally do every day. And unfortunately, working in … Continue reading
Muscle strains are the leading cause of workplace injuries in Texas, according to a new study by Travelers Insurance. The company’s workers’ compensation data show that muscle strains accounted for a quarter of on-the-job injuries in the state in 2013. In fact, there were more muscle strains than the next … Continue reading
Accidents in the workplace are extremely common, despite everyone’s best efforts to avoid them. Often times, workers end up injured as the result of an accident, with many suffering time away from the job due to broken bones, pain, and other injury effects. At other times, however, workers may not … Continue reading
Every year, several million workers across the United States suffer some sort of injury or illness at work. Despite decades of governmental regulations and monitoring of the workplace to improve safety, accidents still happen and workers still get hurt. For some, the injuries are minor and recovery occurs quickly. For … Continue reading
