Two Pennsylvania natural gas workers suffered serious personal injures and were flown to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre for treatment following a construction accident at a drilling site in northern Pennsylvania. One worker suffered broken ribs and the other suffered lacerations to his skull caused by a flying piece of metal when a pipe coupling blew apart at a Tioga County natural gas well operated by Ultra Resources. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.
This serious Pennsylvania construction accident comes on the heels of a natural gas well blowout in central Pennsylvania earlier this month. While, fortunately, no one was injured in that construction accident, explosive natural gas and toxic wastewater spewed into the air, polluting nearby land for 16 hours before EOG Resources workers could bring the blowout under control. Safety concerns sparked by the blowout caused Pennsylvania regulators to halt work at 70 other natural gas wells under construction by EOG Resources.
Natural gas drilling is an admittedly hazardous profession which makes adherence to safety standards and practices all that much more vitally important to protect the health and safety of construction workers. As recent incidents illustrate, construction workers face the risk of serious personal injury every time they step on the job site. Companies that fail to protect their workers' safety can be held liable for workers' injuries. Just a few of the many negligent activities that can contribute to Philadelphia construction accidents include:
- Inadequate or incompetent supervision
- Defective or poorly maintained equipment
- Negligent drilling, blasting or tunneling procedures
- Unprotected openings
- Improper scaffolding procedures
- Improper handling of gases or chemicals
- Failure to maintain access areas
- Insufficient bracing or support of structures
The complexity of Philadelphia construction accident claims requires expert investigation by knowledgeable Philadelphia personal injury lawyers experienced in pursuing construction accident claims.
