Louisiana Helicopter Crash Investigations Turn Focus to Oil Rig Workers' Safety
As investigations in the helicopter crash in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana that killed 8 offshore rig workers continue, the safety of riggers and engineers who constantly use helicopters on the job, is receiving much needed attention.
The Sikorsky S-76 C helicopter that crashed 10 minutes after taking off, was carrying 9 workers from Amelia, Louisiana to an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico owned by the Shell Oil Company. The helicopter was owned by PHI Inc. The workers on board the helicopter were on their way to repair damages caused by Hurricane Gustav.
The crash has turned attention to the safety of the hundreds of offshore workers required to frequently travel between rigs and platforms by helicopter. Air travel has not been a major cause of maritime accidents and fatalities in the oil and gas industry; one of the country's deadliest sectors. The mortality rate in this industry is estimated to be up to 7 times greater than in other sectors. Between 2003 and 2007, 526 people died on the job in the oil and gas industry; 20 of these died in air accidents. The biggest danger to workers in the industry comes from accidents in the field, such as being hit by falling objects, which alone causes more than 50% of all oil rig accident-related deaths. Over the past decade, the worker death rate in the industry has doubled from 15 deaths in 1999 to 30 deaths for every 100,000 workers in 2007. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the increase in the number of deaths in maritime accidents can simply be attributed to increased drilling activity.
Helicopter Crash Maritime Accidents
In 2008, a Bell 206 helicopter headed to a drilling platform 18 miles off the coast crashed into the water, killing the pilot and 4 oil field workers on board. The accident is still under investigation. Everyday, hundreds of helicopter flights are routinely made, transporting employees to and from rigs and platforms. The majority of these end safely, but the risk of injuries and fatalities with this concentration of aviation traffic in the industry is very real, as proven by the Terrebonne Parish helicopter crash.
If you have been injured in an offshore accident, you will need expert representation by an experienced maritime lawyer to ensure that you recover the compensation you deserve from all parties. At Arnold & Itkin LLP, we have the skills necessary to successfully represent you.
Contact an experienced maritime attorney at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free evaluation of your case.
