Work in the oil and gas sector can be quite lucrative. Blue-collar employees can obtain stable, well-paid jobs helping to locate and extract mineral resources. One of the reasons that the work pays well is that it is very demanding.
Oil and gas professionals often need to travel and work long hours. They may have to handle heavy machinery and work in proximity to dangerous equipment. The risk inherent in oil and gas work is another reason that workers receive competitive wages.
Oil and gas employees are at elevated risk of severe injury and death because of their job responsibilities and the environment in which they work. Most people understand that oil and gas work is risky, but they may misunderstand the sources of that risk.
What is the top cause of oil and gas worker deaths?
Contrary to what people often assume, explosions are not actually the top workplace Hazard for those in the oil and gas sector. Explosions only accounted for 14.5% of the fatalities reported by oil and gas companies between 2014 and 2019. That makes it the third most common cause of death among oil and gas professionals.
The second leading cause of death was contact injuries. Accidental contact with heavy machinery was responsible for 21.7% of worker fatalities. The biggest risk factor is actually transportation. Incidents involving vehicles accounted for 26.8% of the deaths reported in the oil and gas sector.
Transportation incidents can involve crashes when hauling equipment or extracted resources. They can also occur when attempting to access oil and gas extraction locations, which are often far from developed roads. Driving off-road to evaluate potential well sites or work on extraction equipment may force workers to cross rough terrain.
It is also worth noting that roughly one in five oil and gas worker fatalities occur in scenarios where an employee is alone at a job site or in a vehicle. They may not get help in a timely manner.
Oil and gas workers hurt on the job and those grieving the death of a loved one may need help seeking compensation after a workplace incident. There are often multiple forms of recourse available for those affected by oil and gas industry incidents depending on the circumstances. Seeking legal guidance is a good way to learn more.