Negligence and Fatalities
A Closer Look at Workover Rig Accidents and OSHA Violations Over the Years
In July 2015, a tragic accident occurred when an oil worker was fatally injured while working on a workover rig in Oklahoma. Positioned on the tubing board, about halfway up a 120-foot derrick, he was handling pipe being removed from a well when the rig began experiencing unusual loading conditions. Despite the rig operator’s repeated requests for him to descend due to safety concerns, supervisors denied the requests and instructed him to "just hold onto something."
Tragically, as operations continued despite these objections, the rig collapsed. The worker fell to the ground and was crushed by the falling derrick and pipe. Investigations revealed that the rig was improperly stabilized by securing it to a base beam instead of using anchors in the ground. Further, design defects in the rig were a contributing factor to the fatal accident.
Our firm represented the worker’s family in the wake of this devastating loss, seeking justice for the negligent safety practices that ultimately led to the fatality.
This case underscores the critical importance of adhering to safety protocols and the dire consequences of neglecting worker safety in high-risk environments. Although this incident occurred nearly 10 years ago, similar catastrophic accidents continue to plague the oil and gas industry.
Workover Rig Safety Concerns
A workover rig is a mobile, self-propelled rig used to perform maintenance and repair work on existing oil and gas wells. Accidents involving these rigs are largely preventable and strict adherence to OSHA guidelines goes a long way in ensuring worker safety.
Over the last ten years, OSHA has cited oil and gas companies for over 10,000 safety violations, many classified as "serious," meaning they had a high likelihood of causing catastrophic injuries or fatalities. In 2023 alone, OSHA imposed nearly $1.6 million in penalties on the industry.
In recent years, hundreds of oilfield workers lost their lives on the job, and thousands more were injured. The U.S. Bureau of Labor’s Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries reported 383 fatalities in the oil and gas extraction sector between 2018 and 2022.
Under Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act’s General Duty Clause, employers are required to protect employees from any known serious hazards, even if OSHA doesn’t have specific regulations for those hazards. Distressingly, this clause was cited 24 times in 2023, indicating that companies were aware of dangerous working conditions but still chose to put their workers' lives at risk.
In addition to these violations, OSHA issued nearly 300 citations for issues such as:
- Electrical or hazardous energy violations
- Failure to meet PPE safety requirements
- Inadequate training or monitoring in confined spaces
- Failure to protect workers from falls or falling objects
- Increased risks of fires, explosions, severe burns, or death
- Lack of proper medical services and first aid on site
- Failure to report fatalities and severe injuries
- Insufficient safety protocols for operating heavy machinery and large trucks
The Role of Equipment in Oilfield Accidents
Of the various safety hazards outlined above, it is notable that according to the CDC, over 25% of fatalities in the oil extraction industry between 2003 and 2013 were caused by equipment-related accidents. These incidents have sparked ongoing debate within the industry about the best practices for managing advancements in oil drilling technology.
In Well Servicing Magazine’s May/June 2012 edition, Al Pickett discussed the growing use of base beams as an alternative to traditional ground anchors for stabilizing workover rigs. While base beams allow companies to bypass the 96-hour waiting period for ground anchors, concerns have been raised about their safety. The American Petroleum Institute (API) warned in 2004 that professional engineers must calculate the load limits to ensure safe stabilization, especially with older rigs that may not be compatible with base beams.
One of the experts interviewed for the article speculated, “There won't be a controversy until a rig topples over and there is a fatality.”
Interestingly, one of the industry professionals supporting the use of base beams was later named a defendant in the 2015 wrongful death case involving a collapsed workover rig mentioned above.
A Pattern of Negligence
Seven years later, in May 2022, another fatal accident occurred on a Texas workover rig. The worker, performing operations to fish for pipe or casing in the well, was again working on the tubing board about 60 feet up in the derrick when the rig collapsed, causing his death.
The defendants, responsible for ensuring a safe work environment, are alleged to have failed to follow proper safety protocols and industry regulations. Additionally, the workover rig itself is alleged to have lacked sufficient warnings about its potential dangers.
Our firm represented the family of the deceased worker, advocating for accountability and compensation for the preventable loss of life due to negligence and unsafe working conditions.
Both accidents resulted from improper rig stability, underscoring the persistent failure of oil companies to meet safety standards and prevent these types of incidents. As rig technology evolves to accommodate larger, taller rigs in smaller spaces, the focus on operational efficiency often overshadows safety considerations.
According to the Energy Workforce & Technology Council in January 2022, "Accidents on rigs caused by properly engineered and deployed base beams are virtually non-existent, which demonstrates the quality and safety of the base beam stabilization mechanism."
However, this statement seems to assume that base beams are always properly engineered and deployed, overlooking the frequent OSHA violations at these worksites. Indeed, in connection with the May 2022 accident, the base beam used was purchased at an auction with no information from the manufacturer about engineering specifications. The aforementioned statement also disregards the real and serious consequences of human error, especially when efficiency is prioritized over the careful planning and execution necessary to ensure a truly safe working environment.
Our Firm's Commitment to Justice
We firmly believe that those injured or killed due to oil companies’ negligence deserve justice and financial compensation. People still working in these dangerous environments deserve every possible protection to prevent these life-changing accidents from occurring in the first place.
Until real change occurs, we will continue to go to the mat against large, well-funded oil companies. Our hope is that through these efforts, we can bring relief to those harmed, deter companies from cutting corners, and send a clear message: endangering employees for profit will have serious financial consequences.
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We are a mass tort litigation firm that believes a group effort is essential to success, both inside and outside the courtroom. Each of our firm's lawyers contributes their unique skills and experience, collectively forming an exceptional team that offers clients a robust network of support and a wealth of expertise.
Works Cited
“Fatal Occupational Injuries in Private Sector Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction Industries.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/charts/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries/fatal-occupational-injuries-private-sector-mining.htm. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
“Frequently Cited OSHA Standards: Occupational Safety and Health Administration Osha.Gov.” Frequently Cited OSHA Standards | Occupational Safety and Health Administration Osha.Gov, www.osha.gov/ords/imis/citedstandard.html. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
Kerickson. “Well Servicing Committee Releases Report on Base Beam Systems.” Energy Workforce & Technology Council, 20 Dec. 2022, energyworkforce.org/well-servicing-committee-releases-report-on-base-beam-systems/.
“Occupational Fatalities during the Oil and Gas Boom - United States, 2003–2013.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 May 2015, www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6420a4.htm.