Oil Worker Dies after Fall from Mobile Well Tower in Simpson County, Mississippi – Common Oil Worker On-the-Job Hazards Explained
Tragic news of the death of a Mississippi oil worker circulated around online news outlets and newspapers this week, prompting questions about what types of common workplace hazards oil workers face in the Magnolia State. According to local news reports, WJTV News Channel 12, a young oil worker from Columbia, Mississippi working for general contractor Challenger Deep Well Servicing was working in Simpson County when he fell from a mobile tower. The fatal workplace accident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4. Investigators believe that the young oil worker was working at the top of the mobile well tower when the tower turned over, and he fell to his death. The worker died at the scene. Although reports are sparse as to the worker’s identity (and he has not been formally identified yet) investigators note that he was only 24 years old. The terrible and untimely death of the young oil worker raises questions about what workplace hazards oil workers face in Mississippi, and what the families of workers can do under Mississippi laws if their loved one is killed at work.
Mississippi Oil Workers Face a Number of On-the-Job Hazards
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), oil workers face a number of workplace hazards on the job. These hazards can lead to serious and fatal accidents, and include:
- Being trapped in confined spaces;
- Falls from heights;
- Being hit or struck by vehicles;
- “Struck-by/caught-in/caught-between” accidents involving equipment and vehicles;
- Accidents caused by high pressure lines and oil work equipment;
- Accidents caused by machines;
- Lack of planning and prevention, causing workplace accidents;
- Explosions and fires in oil work;
- Electrical accidents and accidents involving hazardous energy; and
- Ergonomic accidents, such as strains and sprains and injury to the body.
Of course, in order to prevent needless worker injuries and deaths, oil worker employers should encourage oil workers to exercise caution and vigilance on the job and promote and maintain the highest safety standards.
Rights and Options of Family Members of Oil Workers Killed On-the-Job in Mississippi
No person should have to lose a beloved family member to a workplace accident. However, the truth is that fatal workplace accidents, like the recent one in Simpson County, can and do happen. Importantly, in most cases, with some exceptions, certain dependent family members of workers killed at work in Mississippi may be entitled to important workers’ compensation death benefits under Mississippi workers’ compensation laws. In order to determine whether you may be entitled to workers’ compensation death benefits in Mississippi, it is best to speak with an experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible after a terrible workplace accident occurs.
The experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC help Mississippi workers and their families get compensation due under workers’ compensation laws. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC today and speak to a lawyer about your rights and options now.
Source:
wjtv.com/news/local-news/mississippi-oil-worker-dies-after-fall-from-mobile-well-tower/
