An incident earlier this year indicates that offshore drilling companies need to make many adjustments to their current policies in terms of safety, or at least one of them does. An offshore worker preparing a well to be abandoned was killed in a tragic accident. What makes the incident all the more tragic is that investigation shows it could easily have been prevented with the proper safety measures.
The rig had much of its equipment in positions that forced workers to stand in more dangerous positions and generally closer to the machinery, with higher risk of getting caught, as the deceased worker did. This equipment violated regulations. Training meetings did not properly address these dangers or other dangers as they were required to.
The shift supervisor also bears some responsibility for how the tragedy turned out. If help had arrived sooner, it is possible that the young worker could have been saved, but the supervisor was not properly prepared for such an incident and took too long to initiate emergency procedures. This was a definite contributing factor to the worker’s wounds being fatal.
It is apparent that even though improvements have been made over the last few years, many drilling platforms are still not made as safe as they can be. While there is risk in any offshore work, it should be reduced as much as possible.
A Jones Act attorney in Houston can help you if you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an offshore work accident. The Jones Act protects offshore workers against unsafe conditions and promises compensation if such an event does occur. Kirkendall Dwyer LLP is standing by to take your case and get you the recognition and recompense you deserve for your company’s carelessness.
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