Crush injuries in the oil and gas industry

Personal protective equipment is essential for you on the oilfields of Texas, and your employer should supply what you need, as well as training to ensure that you know how to handle your duties safely. Even when an employer does everything right, it may not be enough to prevent an accident that results in a body part being crushed in machinery or between heavy objects. We at The Law Offices of Miller Bicklein, P.C., have often worked with employees who have sustained permanently damaging crush injuries.

According to OA Online, an open wound or broken bone may prompt you to seek emergency medical attention, but it is no less important to have a crush injury examined right away. For example, if your finger is crushed, swelling underneath the skin could put too much pressure on the blood vessels and nerves, which then kills the digit. This is known as compartment syndrome, and you would probably have to have your finger amputated in this situation. A crush injury could also sever nerves, which would limit your ability to use the finger, even if you were able to keep it. Many oilfield workers suffer from smashed fingers due to the nature of the job.

If your muscle is crushed, the pressure could cause it to release myoglobin into the circulation as it breaks down. This molecule can then cause your kidneys to fail, which is a common occurrence when people do not receive the right treatment on time. You may not begin to feel the serious effects of your crush injury until a couple of hours after the accident. More information about injuries on the jobsite is available on our web page.