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An employee of Energy Drilling Company recently filed a lawsuit stemming from an October 2010 accident involving a crane on an oil rig. The plaintiff was struck by a stack of winches weighing over two tons that a fellow employee was attempting to lift using a non-certified crane. The injured worker is seeking damages for physical pain and impairment, mental anguish, lost income, medical costs and legal expenses.
The incident underscores the importance of having strong safety standards when performing construction and oil field work with cranes and derricks. On August 9, 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a new rule pertaining to the use of cranes and derricks in construction and oil field work. The old rule had been in effect for nearly 40 years.
The new rule addresses the four most common causes of death and injury in this type of work, which are:
- Electrocution
- Being crushed by equipment parts
- Being struck by equipment or load
- Falls
The new rule took effect 90 days after it was published but various provisions will take effect in a few years. Under the new rule, employers are required to pay for all training and employee certification related to the new rule, the requirements of which include:
- Tower crane parts must be inspected prior to construction
- Synthetic slings must be used properly during assembly or disassembly work as determined by the manufacturer
- The condition of the ground must be assessed
- Crane operators must be sufficiently certified/qualified
- Safeguards must be followed when working close to power lines
The new rule was the culmination of a twelve-year process undertaken by OSHA to establish higher safety standards for this dangerous industry. Experts believe that the new rule will prevent 22 deaths and 175 injuries every year.
Despite the new safety regulations, some employers in this dangerous type of work may be less than forthcoming about their legal obligations to injured employees. Do not accept your employer's word as the law. For more information on your legal rights following an accident or injury involving a crane or derrick, contact an experienced attorney.
