5 Most Common Injuries Caused By Drilling Equipment

Some reports estimate that each year there are around 1000 faulty drilling equipment accidents.

Workers in the oil field face a variety of different risks, and unfortunately, a lot of them stem from working with faulty drilling equipment.

These machines should be regularly checked to ensure everyone’s safety on the work site, but some issues may be overlooked. Over time, even small problems can eventually lead to severe worker injuries. Some reports estimate that each year there are around 1000 faulty drilling equipment accidents. It’s clear that this issue requires attention, and companies need to focus more on safety.

Here are 5 of the most common injuries that faulty drilling equipment can cause.

  1. Fractures – Fractures may actually be some of the ‘lightest’ injuries that could potentially be caused by faulty drilling equipment. Fractures may be visible, with the bone clearly piercing the skin, but in some cases the bone could remain in place, leading to severe pain. Some people may not even feel a lot of pain at first, but the fractured area will become sore and begin to swell.
  2. Spinal Cord Injuries – Spinal cord injuries can lead to weakness or complete loss of muscle function in the area lower to the injury. Often times, these types of injuries can result in permanent damage, even leaving the injured worker disabled for life.
  3. Severe Burns – In the event of an explosion or fire, there is the possibility of the workers caught in the crossfire to experience severe burns on their bodies. Protective gear may lower the severity of the burn, but that also depends on the size of the blow. Burns are some of the most difficult types of injuries to treat. They require extensive periods to heal and are extremely painful. Some people may even be left with permanent scars.
  4. Traumatic Brain Injuries – A traumatic brain injury results when the brain hits itself against the walls of your skull. This can happen because of a direct blow to the head, but even a violent head jolt can result in a TBI. The problem is, TBIs often don’t have immediate symptoms, so the injured worker is likely to brush off any symptoms at first, and perhaps not even connect it to the work injury.
  5. Wrongful Death – Faulty equipment leads to accidents, and if that accident kills a worker, that is legally considered a wrongful death. Your employer has a responsibility to ensure the safety of all workers, which also included proper equipment maintenance. If a worker dies as a result of their negligent, the employer is liable.

Contact a Work Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured at work due to faulty drilling equipment, call the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann to discuss your legal rights. For more than 25 years, we have helped injured workers throughout the state of Missouri receive the compensation benefits they need and deserve. Call us at (314) 361-4300 or fill out our online case evaluation form to request a FREE consultation.