How should oil companies help prevent employee falls?

On Behalf of | Dec 15, 2014 | Oil & Gas, Work Injuries |

Oilfield work can offer good wages. Those who chose to make a career of
helping extract crude from the ground can earn a healthy living. But,
this type of work also has its hazards. For example, it is not unusual
for workers to have to fulfill their tasks while on ladders, platforms
or scaffoldings. A worker could easily suffer a
catastrophic injury should they slip and fall from their elevated workstation.

So what kind of safeguards can be put in place to help keep workers from
falling and being hurt?

Because of the potential for a worker being seriously injured due to a
fall, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration places
requirements on job sites with elevated work areas. Employers are to do the following
in order to keep workers safe from falls:

  • All elevated platforms with open sides must be equipped with a toe-board
    and guard rail.
  • Where appropriate, such items as harnesses, handrails, stair railings and
    safety nets may be required.
  • Floor holes that pose a danger to workers must have covers or toe-boards
    and railings.
  • Toe-boards and guardrails must be used wherever there is the potential
    for a worker to fall into dangerous equipment or machinery.

In the best of circumstances, working in a Texas oilfield presents serious
potential hazards on a daily basis. This is why OSHA requires employers
to adhere to standards that help decrease the likelihood of a worker coming to harm.

Still, sometimes an employer or supervisor on a job site may fail to offer
the protections that an employee should have. One fall from a platform
that did not have secure guard rails could land a worker in the hospital
for an extended period of time. When this happens, the worker will likely
need compensation for medical expenses as well as to cover time off from the job.

A Texas personal injury attorney may be able to represent your interests
in the aftermath of an oilfield accident. The attorney’s services
may prove of benefit when dealing with oil companies and their insurance
providers.