Walking is good for your health. It is something nearly everyone can do, and it helps people see things and develop relationships that cannot be done while driving. However, pedestrians face unique hazards from other vehicles on the road. This is especially true in urban areas, on weekends and during … 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
Over the years we have seen innovative advancements in the automobile industry to help reduce the number of fatalities on the road. They’ve added more airbags, cameras, self –parking systems, and many more attributes to help reduce the number of fatal accidents. This time, the innovation takes place not in … Continue reading
After being in an accident most people tend to panic. It is important to remain calm and collected in order to ensure that you take the proper steps following a car crash. Frantically yelling at the other driver or forgetting to exchange information can seriously harm you in the case … Continue reading
There is really no way to tell exactly what a case is worth until We have investigated it and determined liability and fault The doctors have determined what is wrong with you Of course, the first thing you’ve got to do is figure out who is at fault in the … 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
The next time you feel inconvenienced by road construction, try to put yourself in a road construction worker’s steel-toed boots. Angry sneers and obscene gestures from harried drivers are the least of the challenges that road construction workers face daily. The construction season, in many parts of the nation, is … Continue reading
Over the past several years, federal legislators, state legislators, educators, and safety advocates have launched numerous campaigns designed to teach teens about the hazards associated with distracted driving. Despite these substantial efforts, the rate of distracted driving accidents among teens continues to rise, and a recent survey confirms that nearly … Continue reading
There is a general rule in Texas that you have two years. But there are also notice requirements that are important. For instance, some claims like a claim against a governmental entity, whether it’s a federal or local or state entity, the government has to give you permission to sue … Continue reading
As the pace of everyday life becomes increasingly frenetic, it seems that more people are trying to multitask. The multitude of things vying for people’s attention can become dangerous when people are driving. Despite the well-known dangers of distracted driving, the problem continues to grow. Texting and driving in Texas … Continue reading
