Oil and Gas Worker Injuries Alarmingly Common

 Posted on February 13, 2019 in Workplace Injury

According to studies conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 2.8 million American workers were injured on the job in 2017. For employees in the oil and gas industry, injury risks are constantly present. From working on oil rigs to transferring hazardous materials, fossil fuel workers are among the most commonly injured in the U.S. Unfortunately, many oil and gas companies aggressively fight against compensation for employees who suffer on-the-job injuries.

Common Oil and Gas Industry Injuries 

Working in the oil and gas industry comes with greater risks than most occupations. From oil rig fires and explosions to platform construction accidents, workers face a heightened risk of injury on a daily basis. Many oil and gas workers are tasked with driving potentially explosive cargo on their site and to other work sites. More than 300 fossil fuel workers have died in transportation accidents over the past decade. 

Oil and gas companies use heavy equipment in their day-to-day operations. The use of equipment such as derricks and drillers can result in serious injuries. Other workers face long-term medical complications due to exposure to noxious chemicals. Chemical exposure has been linked to leukemia, brain trauma, and paralysis. 

It is not uncommon for oil and gas workers to injure limbs, fracture or break bones, and suffer severe skin lacerations. Unfortunately, some injuries are more serious than others. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in a four-year span, Colorado ranked as the sixth-highest state for oil and gas worker fatalities. 

Contact a Fort Collins Workers’ Compensation Lawyer 

You and your family should not have to suffer financially due to a workplace injury. Here in the state of Colorado, oil and gas workers constitute just under 7 percent of the state’s workforce. With over 230,000 Coloradans working in petroleum industries, our legal team is experienced in helping workers injured on the job. At Hoggatt Law Office, P.C., we are prepared to aggressively fight for the injury compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. To schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced Boulder County personal injury attorney, call us today at 970-225-2190. 

Sources:

https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/osar0018.htm

https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060053892