CAUSES
AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF Oil Rig Explosions OR FIRES
As evidenced by the recent (November 2014) deadly explosion on
the Black Elk Energy oil platform in West Delta 32 that took 3 lives, the 2012 Chevron
oil rig K.S. Endeavor, which caught fire while operating off the coast of
Nigeria, and the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon mammoth disaster in the Gulf of
Mexico, oil rig explosions have the potential to have serious consequences. Multiple workers may be at risk of serious
harm or may lose their lives.
Causes and Contributing Factors of Oil Rig Explosions or
Fires
The various causes of an explosion or fire on an oil rig are
virtually innumerable. An offshore oil
platform is a hazardous place. Workers
are required to operate or work in close proximity to heavy machinery and
combustible substances. Rough seas and
heavy weather can make the environment unpredictable at best. All it takes is a single mistake, defect in a
piece of equipment or freak accident to cause a fire or explosion that leads to
the injury or death of numerous workers and even the sinking of an entire
platform.
Some examples of potential hazards that may cause oil rig
explosions include:
- Improperly grounded electrical equipment or wiring.
- Fires from defective batteries.
- Defective ventilation systems that cause a back-up of hazardous fumes.
- Improperly stored fuel or other combustible substances.
- Poorly maintained hoses, pipes, or pipelines that leak or spray fuel.
- Improper use of welding devices or torches near combustible substances.
- ·Corrosion of electrical equipment.
- Failed equipment.
- Failure to follow proper procedures for maintaining or cleaning the equipment.
- Human error.
- Failure to adhere to the JSA and other safety procedures.
Injuries Caused by Fires and Explosions on Oil Platforms
A worker on an offshore oil platform may be at risk of
sustaining debilitating or life-threatening injuries and even death in an
explosion or fire. Some of the injuries
that may be caused by these incidents include:
·
Death from the fire or explosion;
·
Burns;
·
Broken bones, lacerations and crush injuries
caused by the force of the explosion;
·
Crush injuries caused by falling objects or
debris;
·
Exposure to toxic chemicals or other hazardous
substances;
·
Electrocution and electric shock;
·
Loss of hearing;
·
Brain damage;
·
Spinal cord injuries; and
·
Dismemberment / loss of limb.
