Mainly used for offshore drilling in the oil and gas industry, jack-up rigs are mobile platforms that can be raised or lowered using hydraulics and rest on the bottom of the sea. They are immense pieces of machinery and jack-up rig accidents carry serious risks to the workers that are aboard.
COMMON DANGERS OF JACK-UP RIGS
One of the common risks associated with jack-up rigs is capsizing if not properly secured. Being a large mechanical platform, jack-up rigs are outfitted with a multitude of electrical lines, which carry the risk of explosions and fires given their proximity to the surrounding water.
Another common injury among jack-up rig workers is head trauma. Because the huge platform is mostly made of large parts, any failure in the structural integrity can cause some of these parts to strike a worker, resulting in blunt force trauma. Even something as simple as falling tools can be a major concern in a work area such as this.Studies have shownthat overall, jack-up rig workers, and most general offshore workers, are at a risk of twice that of on-land construction workers.
RIGHTS AFTER A JACK-UP RIG ACCIDENT
ince jack-up rigs are modestly mobile platforms, they are considered maritime vessels insofar as it relates to the Jones Act and maritime law. Injury compensation, maintenance and cure, and much more is available for those injured on a jack-up rig. Having the help of an experienced Jones Act maritime lawyer can make all the difference when fighting for fair and just compensation due to a jack-up rig accident.
No matter the injury sustained after a jack-up rig accident, the expert maritime lawyers at the Kolodny Law Firm are here to help guide you and your loved ones to the fair and just compensation you deserve. Call us today.