As Hurricane Ian heads to the shore, many companies have become concerned over the safety of their offshore workers. Whether workers are on ships or offshore platforms, their safety must be considered as a dangerous storm approaches the Gulf Coast. As a result, many oil and production companies evacuated their workers to shore out of an abundance of caution.
There have been numerous previous incidents when workers who were not evacuated to sure during poor weather sustained injuries. For instance, as Hurricane Ida entered the Gulf of Mexico in August of 2021, a vessel chartered to Shell, the Noble Globetrotter II, did not evacuate workers to safety in the face of the storm. According to crew members who were stuck on board the Globetrotter II, they were forced to ride out Hurricane Ida. Although they believed evacuations would occur, this never happened, putting the safety of hardworking offshore workers at risk. The ship faced winds of 150mph and 80 foot waves for hours during the storm. Following that incident, BSEE investigated what had occurred issuing a report regarding the actions of the Operator and Contractor. The BSEE report determined one the contributing causes was “Inadequate Planning prevented the drill crew from pulling marine riser and LMRP in time for the Drillship to evade/evacuate Hurricane Ida.”
Safe offshore and maritime companies must make plans ahead of time when severe weather is expected. In the days leading up to a powerful storm like Hurricane Ida, non-essential personnel should be evacuated for their own safety. Platforms and wells must also be prepared for the severe weather. Failing to adequately prepare for the high winds and wave conditions beforehand can result in tragedy.
Spagnoletti Law Firm has handled numerous lawsuits involving offshore platforms on behalf of injured workers from all over the world. Spagnoletti Law Firm previously represented the family members of Filipino offshore workers who were on the Black Elk Energy offshore oil platform that exploded in 2012. Our lawyers have extensive experience in offshore personal injury and wrongful death litigation and the skills needed to represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives or those who have been seriously injured while working on an offshore platform.
The experienced and aggressive maritime attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was a victim of this tragic accident. There are strict and short time limits on making claims related to offshore accidents, so please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or 877-678-5864 to learn more about your rights.