Oil and gas work keeps South Texas running. It is also one of the deadliest jobs in America. Rig workers face heavy machinery, high pressure, flammable materials, and punishing schedules — every single shift.
When safety rules get skipped, workers get hurt. Here are the seven most common oil rig accidents we see, and what injured workers should know about their rights. Hurt on a rig? Call The Burkett Law Firm at 361-738-5548 or request a free case review.
| 470
U.S. oil and gas extraction workers killed from 2014–2019 |
14.2
Worker deaths per 100,000 — nearly 4× the all-industry average of 3.7 |
26.8%
Of deaths involve vehicle incidents — the industry’s top killer |
| Sources: NIOSH Fatalities in Oil and Gas Extraction database; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022) | ||
1. Vehicle Accidents
Surprised? Most people expect explosions to top the list. But vehicle incidents cause more oil and gas worker deaths than anything else — 26.8% of fatalities. Long drives to remote sites, exhausted crews, and heavy trucks hauling equipment create deadly roads to and from every rig.
2. Struck-By Accidents
Pipes swing. Loads drop. Tools fall from the derrick. Contact injuries — being struck by or caught between objects and equipment — cause more than a fifth of industry deaths. Missing barriers, poor rigging, and rushed lifts are usually behind them.
These injuries cluster around the rig floor and the catwalk — the busiest, most congested spots on any rig. Proper spotters, tag lines, and exclusion zones prevent them. Their absence is a choice, and it shows up in the incident reports we obtain in discovery.
3. Explosions and Fires
Wells produce flammable gas and vapor. One spark from a faulty tool, static, or welding in the wrong spot can ignite a blast. Explosions cause roughly one in seven industry deaths — and leave survivors with severe burns and traumatic brain injuries.
4. Falls From Heights
Derricks, platforms, ladders, and stairs — rig work happens in the air. Missing guardrails, unclipped harnesses, and slick surfaces turn routine climbs into catastrophic falls, often causing spinal cord injuries.
5. Caught-In and Caught-Between Accidents
Rotating drill strings, tongs, winches, and pinch points can grab clothing or limbs in an instant. Lockout/tagout failures and removed machine guards are the classic causes — and both are preventable safety violations.
6. Toxic Exposure
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas can kill in minutes at high concentrations. Chemical exposure, silica dust, and fumes cause slower harm — lung disease, chemical burns, and long-term illness. Monitoring equipment and respirators exist for a reason. When companies skip them, workers pay.
Exposure cases are also easy for companies to hide. Air-monitoring logs go missing; symptoms get logged as “flu.” Independent medical testing soon after exposure preserves the proof.
7. Equipment Failures
Blowout preventers, cables, cranes, and pressure lines all fail when maintenance gets deferred. Sometimes the equipment itself was defective from the factory. Either way, someone is responsible — the operator, the contractor, or the manufacturer.
★★★★★ “David Burkett is an excellent person and Lawyer. Well connected and sincere, if you can get him as your attorney, you will be more than happy.” — Joe, Burkett Law Firm client
Who Pays When a Rig Worker Gets Hurt?
It depends on where you worked and who caused the accident:
- Offshore workers may have claims under the Jones Act and maritime law — see our offshore oil rig accident page.
- Onshore workers in the Eagle Ford may have third-party or non-subscriber claims — see our oilfield accident lawyer page.
- Families of workers killed on the job can pursue justice through a wrongful death claim.
- Multiple companies usually share a rig site — and multiple companies can share liability.
The Corner-Cutting Behind Most Rig Accidents
Rig accidents look sudden. Their causes usually build for weeks:
- Deferred maintenance — inspections skipped to keep the rig turning
- Missing guards and barriers removed for speed and never replaced
- Green crews — undertrained workers filling gaps during busy stretches
- Exhaustion — long hitches and back-to-back shifts that dull reaction time
- Silenced warnings — workers who reported hazards and were ignored
Every one of these is a choice made above the worker’s pay grade. Proving that choice is how a strong injury case gets built.
What to Do After a Rig Accident
- Report it and insist the incident is logged accurately.
- Get independent medical care — not just the company medic.
- Document everything you safely can: photos, equipment, witness names.
- Keep your gear. A failed harness or cracked hard hat is evidence.
- Sign nothing and give no recorded statements until you have talked to a lawyer.
Oil Rig Accident FAQs
Can I get more than workers’ comp?
Often, yes. Third-party claims against contractors or equipment makers, non-subscriber lawsuits, and maritime claims can all pay far more than comp benefits alone. A free case review tells you which paths you have.
The company says the accident was my fault. Now what?
Blame-shifting is standard practice. Partial fault rarely bars recovery under Texas or maritime law — and safety-rule violations by the company usually matter far more.
What evidence should I try to keep?
Photos of the scene and equipment, your gear, witness names, and every medical record. Then let your lawyer send preservation letters for logs and video before they disappear.
How long do I have to file?
Texas injury claims generally allow two years; many maritime claims allow three. Some are shorter. The investigation should start now either way.
Do oil rig injury cases settle or go to trial?
Most settle — but the settlements are largest when the company knows your lawyers will try the case. Energy companies track which firms fold and which fight. The Burkett Law Firm has tried cases across Texas for decades, and that history moves negotiations in your favor before a courtroom is ever needed.
Hurt on a Rig? Get Answers Today.
The Burkett Law Firm has fought for injured South Texas workers since 1960 and recovered more than $80 million. Call 361-738-5548 or schedule your free consultation — you pay nothing unless we win.
