Oil rig accidents raise concerns among workers

Oil represents the lifeblood of the world’s energy supply. Workers on oil rigs in and around Louisiana contribute their part to make sure people have electricity and gasoline. Hopefully, the owners of offshore oil rigs make contributions toward ensuring the workers’ safety.

Poor maintenance and lax safety oversight, in part, may contribute to oil rig injuries. Sadly, some incidents may even lead to fatalities. Therefore, workers must be extra careful when carrying out their sometimes hazardous duties.

Once again, management does have a responsibility to avoid negligence. Offshore oil rig managers who do not enforce rules about wearing hard hats could set a course for the company being at least partially responsible for injuries.

Potentially more egregious instances could involve executives not investing the appropriate funds to upgrade equipment. Worn and dangerous harnesses require replacing. Cutting corners and requiring workers to use shoddy, worn-out equipment may set a course for a potential hazard.

The sheer volume of hazards that offshore oil workers face puts a great onus on management to ensure safety. Any omission of care on the company’s part could open doors for a lawsuit. Sadly, the lawsuit may center on a worker’s disfigurement or even death.

Questions might arise about the company’s investment in safety training. Were workers informed of hazards and instructed on ways to deal with them? If not, then the company may have limited the workers’ ability to deal with hazards.

Offshore workers who suffer career-ending injuries may benefit from speaking with a lawyer. An attorney who understands maritime law could explore options for an insurance settlement against the company to cover a client’s losses.

Family members of those killed due to potential negligence may seek punitive damages for the loss. Again, discussing matters with an experienced lawyer could reveal the family’s legal options.