Introduction to Oil Rig Accidents

About Oil Rig Accidents

Although there are many high risk occupations and workplaces there are probably not many which are quite as high risk as working on an oil rig. Oil rig workers face all of the normal hazards found in a workplace such as slipping or tripping and manual handling risks as well as a whole host of unique hazards faced by working in such an unusual environment.

Thankfully due to stringent regulations which are in place accidents on oil rigs are fairly rare; however, when an accident does happen it can result in fatal or very serious injuries for the hundreds of people who work onboard them at any one time.

If you or someone you know has been injured in an oil rig accident you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim. For more information about how Thompsons Solicitors can help you, complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.

Types of Oil Rig Accidents

Dangers of working on Offshore Oil Rigs

Workers on offshore oil rigs normally have to travel to and from the rig by helicopter which is not without risk itself.

Once on the rig they often have to work outdoors in poor weather conditions. Hurricanes can cause serious damage to the platform itself and to workers onboard. Snow, rain, ice and wind can make working surfaces and procedures extremely hazardous.

The very reason the workers are on board the oil rig to begin with is to extract oil or gas from under the sea bed and these can both be very hazardous substances particularly as there is often a lot of pressure involved during the extraction. Due to this, some of the most tragic oil rig accidents have involved explosions or fires which have led to many fatalities, serious burns and amputations.

The plant and equipment can be heavy and awkward to handle or manage. Many employees may be working collectively together in difficult circumstances. Occasionally, a fellow employee may make a mistake leading to an accident but the employers are responsible for those mishaps. There is no personal liability for accidents imposed on a fellow employee for accidents that arise during the course of employment. The Law requires all employers and their insurers to assume responsibility for dealing with any claim in that situation.

Unfortunately in the past, oil rigs have also been subject to structural collapse and also to sinking.

This work is highly specialised and well rewarded in light of the level of risk, the arduous nature of the work and of course the absence from ones family. The loss of ones employment can have serious financial consequences for a worker who is so badly injured that they are unable to continue working on the oil rigs and the assessment of the consequent financial losses requires careful and experienced assessment.

If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident on an oil rig you may be able to make a compensation claim. For more information about how Thompsons Solicitors may be able to help you, contact us on 08000 224 224.

Oil Rig Disasters in the North Sea

Information about North Sea Oil Rig Disasters

In 1980 a previously undetected crack in one leg of the Alexander Kielland oil rig caused it so capsize when it was hit by a large wave in the North Sea. 123 people were killed and many more injured.

In 1988, a gas leak on board the Piper Alpha oil rig in the North Sea started fires which resulted in 167 deaths and many more injuries. Before this accident there had only been 300 deaths in total on Britain's oil rigs in the North Sea since drilling started in the 1970's. It was the world's worst offshore oil disaster.