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COMMON OIL FIELD INJURIES
Out of the many head and brain injuries a person can sustain, concussions, skulls, facial fractures, and facial lacerations are the most common. Concussions and brain injuries can cause memory problems and leave a person with permanent damage.
BROKEN BONES
Broken bones are one of the more common oil field injuries. The types of bone injuries vary and include fractures, dislocation, spraining, and complete break of the bone. These injuries can occur when working with defective equipment, falling, or loss of footing. Another possible cause of broken bones is being caught between or pressed against something by equipment. Although some of these injuries can heal on their own, others will require medical attention.
NECK AND BACK INJURIES
Due to the amount of heavy lifting required by oil field workers, neck and back injuries are the most common type of oil field injury. In order to avoid serious injury, workers must follow proper lifting techniques. However, adequate training is not always provided. The lack of basic safety training, as well as other hazards on the site, including bad weather and unclear paths, can also cause these injuries.
The severity of the burn a worker or bystander may sustain depends on the burning material. First, second, and third-degree burns can occur while working in the oil field. Following safety procedures may be able to protect both workers and bystanders from burns caused by toxic chemicals, fires, explosions, and other related dangers.
COMMON OILFIELD ACCIDENTS
EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES
Explosions and fires are particularly hazardous on oil field sites due to highly flammable materials on the premises that can quickly spread a fire. Many wells, trucks, and tanks on an oil field site can release different types of gases and chemicals in the air that could be highly flammable and explosive. These gases can easily ignite by a small spark caused by static electricity or other heated elements. A small fire can turn into a massive explosion in a manner of minutes, potentially causing multiple injuries and casualties.
EQUIPMENT FAILURES
While working in the oil field, most sites will have substantial and dangerous pieces of equipment. For example, a drilling site task involves pulling pipes, drilling, and mixing mud. These tasks will require heavy equipment, but the results can be fatal if inspections aren’t occurring on a regular basis.
Slips, trips, and falls can go hand-in-hand with poorly maintained workspaces. Many factors can cause these accidents, but the most common ones are uncleared pathways and improper lighting.
CONTACT A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER
For more information, or if you or a loved one has been injured in an oilfield accident, please contact Hilliard Law’s compassionate and dedicated team of attorneys, at 1-800-334-3298, or through our contact page HERE to request a free case evaluation.
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