What Are the Dangers of an Onshore Rig?

Onshore rigs are dangerous places to work, but many choose this career path because of the earning potential. Workers can make high hourly rates, salaries, and bonuses in the oil industry. These benefits are great, but when oil companies cut corners, they can put their workers’ lives in danger. Countless hazardous conditions on the job site lead to a high risk of catastrophic injuries or even death.

While offshore rig accidents like Deepwater Horizon or Piper Alpha get much of the media’s attention, onshore rigs can be just as dangerous.¹ Working on land or just off the shoreline is often just as hazardous for oilfield workers.

Common Types of Accidents on Onshore Oil Rigs

Several types of accidents may happen while working on an onshore rig. Knowing the risks can help employees stay safe and know their rights after an oilfield accident. Common accidents on oil rigs include:

• Slip and fall accidents: Onshore rigs contain slippery substances and slick metal walkways. High scaffolding, pumps, and ladders create significant fall risks. Employees who fall from high heights can sustain serious injuries or even pass away from them.
• Pinning and crush injuries: Heavy machinery on the job site can cause pinning injuries. A person’s hand, finger, or another body part can get trapped between machine components. This often results in the loss of a limb or a serious crush injury to that part of the body. 
• Falling objects or tools: Oilfield workers use large tools, often at high heights. Employees may drop these tools and injure those down below. Other dropped objects include machinery parts, ladders, and safety equipment. Twenty-two percent of oilfield worker fatalities are attributed to falling objects.² 
• Explosion and fire accidents: One of the most common causes of oilfield injuries is the category of fires and explosions. Onshore rigs utilize multiple flammable substances, such as natural gas, crude petroleum, diesel, and more. Explosions or fires can lead to devastating burn injuries, smoke inhalation, or even death.
• Toxic gas exposure: Oil fields contain many toxic gases that can have devastating consequences when inhaled. Workers are at risk from mercury vapor, exhaust gas, methane, hydrogen sulfide, and countless other gases.³ 

Causes of Onshore Rig Accidents

Knowing the cause of an accident is critical to winning compensation in a personal injury case. It is also important in workers’ compensation cases, even though the employee does not have to prove negligence. Common causes of onshore rig accidents include:

Employee Fatigue or Exhaustion

Onshore oil rig workers frequently work extended shifts of 12 hours or more for days at a time. The work itself is physically and mentally draining, increasing a person’s exhaustion. Tired workers are more likely to make mistakes. These errors could result in many of the accidents listed above, such as sparking a fire or dropping a tool.

Lack of Regular Maintenance

The heavy machinery, vehicles, and tools on an oilfield site must be maintained properly. When they are not, workers on the site are in great danger. Machines can break down, vehicles can fail to brake, or high-pressure lines might explode. Employers are often to blame for the lack of regular maintenance. Many oil companies prioritize profit over safety, leading to catastrophic injuries.

Oilfield Trucking Wrecks

One of the most common causes of oilfield injuries is from commercial trucks. These vehicles carry heavy loads and are often filled with explosive liquids like natural gas or petroleum. Truck accidents commonly occur from:

• Distracted driving
• Intoxicated driving
• Improper loading of the truck’s payload
• Driver fatigue
• Inexperienced or improperly trained truck drivers

Lack of Safety Equipment

Onshore rig employees work in a dangerous environment but are supposed to have protective equipment to help. Everything from a simple helmet to lockout/tagout devices on a machine can make all the difference in protecting workers. Many companies provide insufficient protections or none at all. 

Companies may be negligent and not notice missing safety equipment. Others purposely choose not to provide them to save on costs or speed up oil production. Both are serious issues that may create employer liability for any injuries.

Is an Employer Responsible for an Oilfield Accident?

Just because the employee knows they work in a dangerous place does not mean they have no recourse for their injuries. Oil companies are required to create a safe working environment for oilfield workers. They must provide necessary safety equipment, training, and properly maintained machinery to protect workers as much as possible. 

Injured rig workers typically have the right to compensation for their injuries. For onshore rig workers, compensation may be won in three primary ways:

• Workers’ compensation: Oilfield workers are usually entitled to compensation when they are hurt on the job and their employer carries workers’ compensation coverage. Louisiana requires most employers to carry this insurance, while Texas permits employers to choose whether to carry it. The workers’ compensation system does not require employees to prove negligence to win compensation. However, non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are unavailable under this system.
• Personal injury lawsuits: If a person is not an employee or the employer does not have workers’ compensation coverage, a personal injury claim may be appropriate. Personal injury law requires the worker to prove the employer acted negligently or intentionally in causing the harm. Both economic and non-economic damages are usually available in these cases. Punitive damages may also be available in particularly egregious cases.
• Maritime law: Some onshore rig workers may be subject to maritime law, such as the Longshore and Workers’ Compensation Act.⁴ This depends on the work location and several other factors.

Handling Dangers of Onshore Rigs

Oilfield and onshore rig workers should exercise caution on the job. While it is the employer’s responsibility to create a safe workspace, workers should also be diligent. Employees should immediately report their injuries and speak to a qualified personal injury attorney to learn about their rights to compensation.

Sources:

1. National Academies Press, The Human Factors of Process Safety and Worker Empowerment in the Offshore Oil Industry: Proceedings of a Workshop. The Piper Alpha and the Deepwater Horizon.
2. Chron. Dangers on an Onshore Oil Rig.
3. U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Hydrogen Sulfide, Overview.
4. U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs. Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act Frequently Asked Questions.