Common injuries in this line of work
Rigs, frac sites, pipelines and refineries pack heavy loads, pressure and flammable materials into one place. A swinging load from a crane or a hoist, a line that whips loose, or a pipe that rolls can cause serious injuries in a second. Fires and explosions, while less common, can cause burns and blast injuries along with hearing and breathing problems.
Many sites are far from town. Crews drive long distances on lease roads, often in pickups or on utility vehicles and ATVs, and rollovers happen. Weather is part of the job too: heat in the summer, frostbite risk in the winter, and snakes and insects in the brush around the pad.
Air quality can change fast. Workers may breathe fumes or gases near tanks, pits or flare stacks, and some exposures can be dangerous within moments. Long hitches, fatigue and crews made up of several contractors all add pressure, and many workers are not sure who their employer actually is for a claim.
Reporting it and the claim process
On many locations, several companies work side by side. Your claim generally goes through your own employer, which may be a service company or staffing firm rather than the operator. Ask your supervisor who your employer is and which insurer handles injuries.
Deadlines to report and to file a claim vary by state, and if you live in one state and work in another, it can be unclear which rules apply. Check with the workers' compensation agency in the state where you work, and ask your employer, as soon as possible.
Keep a log during your hitch and after: who you told, when, and what they said. If you are sent home early, write down the date and the reason.
Getting medical care
Because sites are remote, you may first be seen by an on-site medic or a small clinic. That is fine, but make sure a licensed clinician evaluates you and that the visit is recorded as a work injury. Some burns, exposures and head injuries need follow-up even if they seem minor.
Some states and employers have rules about which provider you see first. If you go home to another state, ask your adjuster how care there is arranged.
If you are prescribed medication, ask the pharmacy and the adjuster how work-injury prescriptions are handled. If you are far from your home pharmacy, ask about home delivery.
Prescribed medication? Learn about prescription home delivery and medications often used after work injuries.
When people often talk to an attorney
- Equipment, a crane operator or another contractor on location may have caused the injury.
- You suffered burns, a serious head injury or an injury that looks permanent.
- You work in one state and live in another, and no one can say which rules apply.
- Your claim is denied or delayed, or payments stop.
- You are pressured not to report so the site keeps a clean record.
- You are offered a settlement and want to understand it first.
Recovery and going back to work
Oilfield jobs are physical, and going back too soon can be risky. Follow the care plan and keep appointments, even if you are back home far from the site.
If light duty is offered, ask for the details in writing, including where it is and the hours. Share it with your doctor so they can say whether it fits your restrictions.
Stay in touch with your adjuster, and keep copies of everything. If burns, a blast or a coworker's injury leaves you anxious or unable to sleep, tell your clinician. For thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988.
Questions to ask
- Who is my employer for this claim: the service company, the staffing firm or the operator?
- Which state's workers' comp rules apply to me?
- Where should I go for follow-up care when I am back home?
- Who pays for travel to medical appointments, if anyone?
- How are my prescriptions handled, and can they be mailed home?
- Is light duty available, and where would it be?
- What is my claim number and the adjuster's contact information?
If you're hurt on the job
Emergency? Call 911- 1Call 911 or the site emergency plan for burns, blast injuries, crush injuries, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding or a vehicle rollover.
- 2If you or someone else breathed fumes or gas, get to fresh air only if it is safe, and let trained responders handle rescues.
- 3Get first aid and medical care, and tell the clinician it happened at work.
- 4Tell your supervisor or the person in charge on location, and report the injury in writing. Keep a copy.
- 5Write down the time, the location or well name, the equipment, and every company on site.
- 6Take photos only where it is safe and permitted.
General information only — not medical or legal advice.
Injuries common in oil & gas
Other industries
Frequently asked questions
What should oil and gas workers injured on the job do first?
Get emergency help for anything serious, then get medical care and report the injury in writing to your supervisor. Write down the location, the equipment and every company on site. Keep copies of all paperwork.
Who do I file a claim with if several companies are on the rig?
Usually your claim goes through your own employer, which may be a contractor or staffing company. Ask your supervisor which insurer handles injuries. If another company's crew or equipment caused the injury, people often talk to an attorney about it.
I live in one state but got hurt working in another. Which rules apply?
It depends on the states involved and your situation, and it is a common question in this industry. Check with the workers' compensation agency in the state where you were hurt and ask your employer. Many workers in this spot consult an attorney.
What if I breathed toxic fumes at the site?
Get to fresh air if it is safe and call 911 if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion or feel faint. A licensed clinician should evaluate you even if symptoms seem to pass. Report the exposure in writing and note what you think you breathed.
Is a UTV or pickup rollover on a lease road a work injury?
It is often treated as a work injury if you were driving for work, depending on your state and situation. Get medical care and report it in writing. Write down the road, the vehicle and who was with you.
Can I get prescriptions delivered while I recover at home?
Many work-injury prescriptions can be filled at a local pharmacy or delivered to your home. Ask the pharmacy and your adjuster how it is handled for your claim.
Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. Workers' compensation rules and deadlines vary by state — check with your state's workers' compensation agency. Medical emergency? Call 911. Hurt outside of work? Personal-injury legal help: attorneys.plus (coming soon).