On January 29, 2020, an oil well blowout and fire allegedly occurred in Burleson County, Texas, that allegedly resulted in worker injuries and the death of three oilfield workers. The site, which is located southwest of Bryan, Texas, is owned by Chesapeake Energy Corp., which is based in Oklahoma. Chesapeake reportedly hired and employed the three workers, among others, to drill the well.
In the first week of February, the alleged Texas fatal work injury site was visited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for the purpose of conducting an investigation of the alleged incident. In the coming months, OSHA will release the findings of their investigation and could potentially impose citations and proposed fines against Chesapeake for any alleged safety violations.
An oil well blowout is an occurrence that was formerly referred to as a “gusher” before pressure release systems existed. A blowout is when crude oil is accidentally and uncontrollably released from an oil well. If a single spark or an open flame comes into contact with the oil being released in a blowout, catastrophic disasters such as explosions and fatalities can occur, as was allegedly the case with the tragic Texas oil well explosion on January 29.
According to industry sources, when blowouts occur these days, it is a result of the failure of the pressure release system on a wellhead.
Employers have a responsibility to follow safety guidelines in order to protect workers from injury or death. OSHA provides the safety guidelines employers are obligated to follow.
The oil and gas industry involves many potentially hazardous workplace settings that place workers at risk, including at wellhead sites where oil is extracted from the earth.
Employers have responsibilities to protect their contract workers and employees, and those workers and their families have rights. If you have been injured in a workplace accident or if your loved one has suffered a fatal workplace injury in Texas, you can contact a Texas work injury attorney to learn about any legal or civil recourse you may have.
–Guest Contributor
