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The dangers of working on an oil rig

On Behalf of | Apr 5, 2019 | Oil & Gas Injuries

If you work on an oil rig in West Virginia, you need to be aware the job is fraught with risk. From injuries to long-term diseases, the work conditions can lead to a variety of issues. Safety must be of utmost concern in and around oil facilities.

According to the Chron, working on oil rigs presents a higher risk than average of nonfatal injuries. Because workers are around petroleum and other flammable chemicals, fire and explosions are major hazards. The types of machinery used on rigs also present a variety of dangers. Spinning machinery and drills are noisy, which makes it hard to communicate clearly with each other, and heavy support units can cause crushing injuries. Falling off high levels and dropping equipment below also cause many injuries.

Being overtired is also an issue for oil rig workers. They typically work up to 12 hours a day and many days in a row, which can lead to slow reactions times and a lack of focus.

The Hesparian Health Guides discuss that oil itself poses many health-related problems. Breathing the fumes over long periods of time can lead to long-term effects such as reproductive problems and cancer. Reproductive issues may include birth defects, stillbirths and miscarriages, and common cancers include stomach, lip, pancreas, prostate, liver, blood, eye and brain.

People who work in and around oil rigs may also experience health problems such as:

  • Headaches
  • Blurred vision
  • Ear infections
  • Nose bleeds
  • Coma
  • Tuberculosis
  • Respiratory diseases such as asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis
  • Lung infections
  • Vomiting and ulcers
  • Heart attacks
  • Skin rashes
  • Convulsions
  • Unusual deaths