Houston Offshore Explosion Lawyers

Offshore oil rig workplaces are full of hazards, exposing workers to dangerous working conditions that can lead to catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Most offshore explosion accidents are avoidable if maritime employers and manufacturers take appropriate attention and care. Failure to adhere to offshore safety standards can result in deadly accidents.

If you are a victim of an offshore explosion accident caused by someone’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. After an accident on an offshore oil rig, consider enlisting the help of a skilled Houston offshore explosion lawyer to explore your legal options. At Johnson Garcia, we have over 35 years of experience representing Houston injury victims and recovering compensation on their behalf.

Were you injured in an offshore explosion? Let our experienced offshore explosion accident lawyers, who know how to fight back for you no matter what, help you recover the compensation you deserve.

Potentially Liable Parties in a Houston Offshore Explosion Accident

Most offshore explosion accidents are the result of preventable negligence. Multiple parties may be responsible for your accident and resulting injuries, including:

Employer

An employer could be liable in an offshore explosion accident if they failed to provide their employee with proper protective equipment, training, and safe working conditions.

Equipment Manufacturer

Equipment manufacturers could be liable if a defective item caused your accident. Our qualified offshore accident lawyer collaboratively works with experts like engineers who can investigate and determine whether your accident resulted from a defective product and hold the responsible parties accountable.

Oil Drilling Company

Oil drilling companies must offer their employees reasonable working conditions. If your accident results from an oil drilling company’s negligence, you can hold them liable. Unsafe working conditions that may make the company liable for your accident and resulting injuries include the following:

• Lack of personal fall arrest systems
• Poor equipment maintenance
• Inadequate training of the oil rig workers
• Assault by coworkers

Rig Operator

If a human error at the site results in your accident, you can hold several parties liable, including a rig operator. For instance, they can be held responsible if they operate machinery while intoxicated.

Common Causes of Offshore Explosion Accidents

Oil rig jobs are among the most common fatal occupations. Fires and explosions are a constant concern on oil rigs due to the abundance of combustible materials. Different factors can cause offshore explosions, the most common being:

Well Blowouts

Blowouts are uncontrolled releases of gas or oil from a well caused by its pressure control system’s failure. Such blowouts can occur above or below the sea’s surface.

Well blowouts can be avoided when operators follow OSHA regulations, American Petroleum Institute rules, and other industry best practices.

Fires

One of the most significant threats workers face is fires, considering that the large fuel supplies on rigs can easily feed fires, making them hard to control. Various things can cause oil rig fires, including:

• Leaving equipment and appliances running while unattended
• Failure to contain kitchen fires
• Improperly handling flammable substances
• Failure to repair damaged electric wires or devices

Equipment Failure

Oil rig platforms contain multiple heavy pieces of equipment that must be used safely and maintained appropriately. Equipment failures often result from inherently defective equipment or improper maintenance. Defective equipment or improperly maintained equipment can easily spark explosions.

Unsafe Work Practices

Different unsafe work practices can cause an offshore explosion accident. For instance, practices like using the wrong tool for a job can cause dangerous sparks or fires. Some tasks, like drilling and welding, create sparks that ignite natural gas or oil when the work is done incorrectly.

Inclement Weather

Extreme weather is typical in areas with oil rigs and can often lead to explosions. For instance, storms and lightning can cause explosions or fires. Rig operators must evacuate workers in extreme weather conditions since it is difficult for them to work or prevent mishaps.

Negligence

Many companies and operators prioritize maximizing profits and saving money over workers’ safety. Offshore explosion accidents can be caused by negligence, resulting in catastrophic injuries or, worse, fatalities. Forms of negligence may include:

• Equipment manufacturer negligence
• Subcontractor negligence
• Employer negligence

Forms of Employer’s Negligence That Lead to Offshore Explosions

Have you been injured in an offshore explosion accident due to your employer’s negligence or faulty equipment? Well, most offshore employers fail to follow proper safety protocols, resulting in deadly fires and explosions. Employees’ safety should be prioritized in the workplace, and employers must adhere to the regulations of oil rigs and employ specific fire prevention tips to prevent explosions and fires on offshore rigs.

Forms of employers’ negligence leading to injuries in offshore explosions in Houston include:

Lack of Fire Safety Inspections

Employers must conduct regular, thorough fire safety inspections, such as evaluating the worksite for potential risks and hazards, testing fire suppression devices, and testing alarm systems. When a fire risk or hazard is detected, an employer must take immediate action to mitigate the issue.

Improper Training on Fire Prevention and Response

Employers should provide offshore rig employees with emergency equipment and proper training on preventing and responding to fires. They must ensure the workers are adequately trained to use the emergency equipment. Failure to implement the appropriate fire prevention and response strategy may result in severe injuries in the event of an explosion on an offshore rig, leaving the employer liable.

Failure To Have Alarm and Mass Notification Systems

The law requires offshore employers to have functional fire detection systems. Alarm systems should be in place to alert all workers during a fire on an offshore oil rig. Fires on offshore rigs spread quickly and can result in an explosion, meaning that workers are in great danger of getting injured if they are not notified of the fire.

Failure to install an alarm system is negligence on the employer’s part. It is also imperative that employers who manage offshore rigs employ a notification system that calls or sends a message to all workers in case of an emergency.

Lack of Readily Available Emergency Equipment

In the event of an explosion or fire on an offshore oil rig, workers need readily available emergency equipment as they cannot wait for emergency services to arrive to mitigate the issue. To prevent explosions on offshore rigs, it is vital to have fire suppression systems readily available.

Take Action Now: Contact an Offshore Explosion Accident Lawyer Today

Have you been injured in a Houston offshore explosion accident? Our attorneys can review your case at no fee, establish the negligent parties, and ensure you get justice. The lawyers at Johnson Garcia have the resources, insight, and over 35 years of combined experience representing injury victims and getting them the desired results.

You can count on us for effective representation. If the other side is not negotiating fairly, our personal injury lawyers will file a lawsuit on your behalf and take the case to trial if necessary. Call us today at 832-844-6700 or talk to us online for a free case review.