Fall claims the life of a Texas oil field employee

Falls are a particularly common hazard of the job in the Texas oil industry. Many workers must perform their job duties at significant elevations, using equipment and accessing platforms dozens of feet in the air. Uneven surfaces, frequent climbs up and down the derrick, lack of railings and objects that may be tripped over on the rig floor may lead to a fall accident, and from those heights, workers cannot assume they will survive such an event.

After an investigation of a recent oil field accident, it was determined that a worker suffered fatal injuries as a result of a fall. The Texas company oil site where the accident happened was located in Saratoga, in Hardin County. The oil field employee was a 58-year-old Texan, according to local authorities.

Officials have not released many details about the incident, which took place during morning hours. The estimated height of the fall was 80 feet, but it is not known whether the man who died fell from an oil rig platform. There is also no information currently provided about whether appropriate safety equipment and techniques were being used, or if an equipment malfunction caused the accident.

Family members who are dealing with the emotional aftermath of the loss of a loved one due to an oil field accident may have difficulty taking the necessary steps to ensure they receive any compensation they are due. A Texas oilfield attorney may be able to provide assistance with completing paperwork, and counsel during the navigation of the legal process.

Source: Petro Global News, “Texas worker dies after oil field fall,” Nicolas Torres, Feb. 3, 2017