Injury compensation claims from oil rig workers to rise in number?

31/08/2010

The number of compensation claims from those working on oil rigs could be set to rise as an investigation has found an increase in major injuries at these sites.

Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that there were 50 major injuries reported on offshore oil and gas rigs in 2009/10.

This is 20 more than the number recorded in 2008/09 and is higher than the annual average of 42 over the previous five years.

A provisional total of 85 major and significant hydrocarbon releases were also recorded by the HSE.

This is 24 more than the number in 2008/09, which was the lowest recorded since the watchdog began regulating the industry.

Steve Walker, head of the HSE's offshore division, said: "This year's overall health and safety picture is simply not good enough. The industry has shown it can do better and it must do in future."

Earlier in the year, three companies were fined a total of GBP 283,332 after a man was paralysed from the waist down while working at a Shell oil refinery in Cheshire.

Posted by Trevor Baker

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