Struck-by and falling object injuries are among the most common serious accidents in Texas oilfield operations, consistently ranking among OSHA’s “Fatal Four” causes of workplace death in the construction and extraction industries. On drilling rigs, well sites, and production facilities, workers operate beneath heavy equipment, handle suspended loads, and work near moving machinery in environments where falling tools, pipe, equipment components, and other objects can strike with fatal force. McFarlane Law’s oilfield injury attorneys represent workers who have been injured by falling objects and struck-by incidents across Texas, pursuing full accountability against the employers, contractors, and equipment providers whose negligence put workers in harm’s way.
Common Struck-By and Falling Object Hazards
Drilling rig operations present numerous struck-by hazards that threaten workers at every level of the derrick. Dropped tools, pipe, and equipment from the rig floor or derrick can strike workers below with tremendous force, causing fatal head injuries, spinal cord damage, and crush injuries. Tong and slips failures during pipe handling can release joints of drill pipe weighing hundreds of pounds, which swing or fall unpredictably in the confined rig floor area.
Crane and rigging operations at well sites account for a significant number of struck-by injuries. When loads are improperly rigged, when crane operators lose control of suspended loads in high winds, or when workers position themselves in the swing radius of moving equipment, the results can be catastrophic. Production site hazards include pump jack counterweight strikes, falling components during equipment maintenance, and objects displaced by pressurized equipment releases.
McFarlane Law has seen cases where struck-by injuries resulted from entirely preventable failures — missing tool lanyards, absent hard hats, unsecured rig floor equipment, and crane operations conducted without adequate communication between the operator and ground crew.
Injuries from Falling Object and Struck-By Accidents
Struck-by injuries in oilfield settings tend to be severe due to the weight and velocity of the objects involved. Traumatic brain injuries, even when workers are wearing hard hats, can result from heavy objects falling from significant heights. The force of a 30-pound tool falling from a 90-foot derrick exceeds what any personal protective equipment is designed to withstand. Spinal cord injuries from being struck by heavy equipment or falling pipe can result in permanent paralysis. Crush injuries when workers are caught between moving equipment and fixed structures often require amputation or result in permanent disability.
Fractures — particularly to the skull, spine, pelvis, and extremities — are common in struck-by incidents and may require extensive surgical intervention and long rehabilitation periods. Internal organ damage from blunt force impacts can be life-threatening and may not be immediately apparent following an incident, making prompt medical evaluation critical after any struck-by event.
Preventing Struck-By Injuries: Industry Standards
The oil and gas industry has well-established standards for preventing struck-by injuries, including dropped object prevention programs, exclusion zones beneath overhead work, secured tool programs requiring lanyards and tethers, hard hat requirements in designated areas, and rigging and crane operation procedures. When employers and operators fail to implement these proven prevention measures, they bear responsibility for the injuries that result.
McFarlane Law evaluates each struck-by accident against applicable OSHA standards, API recommended practices, and the employer’s own safety policies to identify specific failures that contributed to the incident and strengthen our clients’ claims for compensation.
Legal Options After a Struck-By Oilfield Injury
Texas oilfield workers injured by falling objects and struck-by incidents have several legal avenues for pursuing compensation. If your employer is a non-subscriber to workers’ compensation, you may file a direct personal injury lawsuit against your employer. If a third-party contractor’s negligence contributed to the incident, you may pursue a third-party claim regardless of workers’ comp status. If a defective tool or piece of equipment failed and caused the incident, a product liability claim against the manufacturer may be appropriate.
McFarlane Law offers free consultations to oilfield workers injured in struck-by incidents. Our attorneys will review the facts of your case, identify all potentially liable parties, and explain the best strategy for maximizing your recovery. Contact us today — you pay nothing unless we win.
Related Practice Areas
- Texas Oilfield Accident Lawyer — Back to main oilfield injury page
- Texas Truck Accident Lawyer
- Texas Workplace Injury Lawyer
- Texas Wrongful Death Lawyer
- Texas Personal Injury Lawyer
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