Undefeated Maritime Accident Lawyers
Offshore workers aboard oil rigs, platforms, jack-ups, and ships confront significant risks daily, including potential exposure to hazardous gases, chemicals, and other toxic substances. These dangers not only threaten their health but also put their family’s future at risk.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries from a chemical release, gas leak, or toxic exposure while working offshore, you have the right to seek justice and hold those responsible accountable.
Read on to learn more about the most common hazardous substances offshore workers face and how our undefeated Offshore Accident Lawyers can protect your rights and secure your family’s future after a serious maritime accident.
Common Toxic Substances Found Offshore
Offshore maritime workers, especially those on drilling rigs or aboard vessels laden with dangerous chemicals (sometimes referred to as “toxic ships”), face a heightened risk of exposure to hazardous substances. In fact, the maritime industry presents far more opportunities for workers to encounter harmful chemicals than nearly any other field.
When companies cut corners on safety or prioritize profits over proper handling and protective measures, workers are the ones left vulnerable to severe or life-threatening health conditions.
Prolonged or acute exposure to the following toxic substances can have devastating effects:
1. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)
This colorless, highly toxic gas is infamous for its “rotten eggs” odor and is commonly produced during oil refining, gas drilling, paper manufacturing, and wastewater treatment. Even low levels of exposure can irritate the eyes and respiratory system, while higher concentrations may lead to dizziness, unconsciousness, or even death. Symptoms appear rapidly, making it critical for safety protocols to be strictly followed.
2. Chlorine
Frequently used as a disinfectant and in manufacturing, chlorine gas exposure can cause respiratory problems, severe skin burns, and eye irritation. In high doses, it can lead to long-term respiratory damage or fatality. Workers on chemical tankers or rigs handling industrial chemicals are at particular risk.
3. Benzene
Widely present in the oil and gas industry, benzene is a known carcinogen. Chronic exposure has been linked to blood disorders, including leukemia. Even short-term exposure can result in dizziness, headaches, and confusion, putting maritime workers in immediate danger if benzene fumes are inhaled.
4. Mercury
Often found in offshore drilling and mining operations, mercury exposure can severely affect the nervous system, leading to tremors, vision and hearing impairment, and cognitive dysfunction. Workers handling mercury-laden equipment or fluids must use strict protective measures to avoid contamination.
5. Silica
Drilling and blasting on oil rigs can release fine silica dust into the air. Inhalation of silica can lead to silicosis, a debilitating lung disease that may develop over time. Maritime workers in contact with drilling operations are particularly susceptible if appropriate dust control methods aren’t used.
6. Ammonia
Used in refrigeration systems and industrial processes, ammonia exposure can cause burns to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. In enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, ammonia exposure can result in suffocation or permanent respiratory damage.
7. Asbestos
While its use has declined, asbestos remains present in older maritime vessels, particularly in insulation, pipes, and engine rooms. Long-term exposure to asbestos fibers can lead to mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other serious respiratory conditions.
8. Crude Oil
This complex mixture contains numerous toxic compounds, including benzene, toluene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), all of which can have serious health effects. Exposure to crude oil can occur during drilling, spills, or while handling equipment that transports it. Workers may experience skin irritation, respiratory issues, and long-term effects such as liver and kidney damage, neurological disorders, and an increased risk of cancer, particularly with repeated exposure over time. In addition to the direct health risks, the potential for blowouts—sudden and uncontrolled releases of crude oil and gas—poses a significant danger not only to workers, but to the environment.
Additionally, offshore workers may come into contact with toxic drilling fluids or even radioactive materials, especially in deep-sea drilling operations, where naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) can be disturbed. These materials pose significant cancer risks if mishandled or improperly stored.
Common Causes of Chemical Releases and Gas Leaks
The unfortunate reality is that major chemical releases and gas leaks in offshore and maritime operations are almost always preventable. These incidents don’t happen by chance but often result from a combination of negligence, poor oversight, and reckless decision-making.
Offshore and maritime companies have a legal obligation to protect their workers by complying with all applicable federal, state, and international regulations and standards governing offshore and maritime operations. This includes compliance with regulations established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).
When they neglect standard operating procedures or prioritize profits and production deadlines over safety, it’s the well-being of employees and contractors that pays the price.
Here are some of the most common causes of chemical releases, leaks, and spills:
- Failure to Perform Timely and Proper Maintenance: Routine maintenance is critical to ensuring the integrity of equipment and containment systems that store or transport hazardous substances. When companies neglect scheduled inspections, corrosion, leaks, or faulty equipment often go unnoticed until it’s too late, leading to catastrophic releases that endanger everyone nearby.
- Inadequate Training of Employees and Contractors: Untrained or improperly trained workers are more likely to make dangerous mistakes when handling hazardous substances. Whether it’s failing to follow proper safety procedures or being unaware of emergency protocols, a lack of adequate training puts both the worker and everyone around them at risk. Proper training can mean the difference between a safe workday and a deadly incident.
- Inadequate Safety Reviews and Process Hazard Analysis (PHA): PHAs are critical in identifying potential risks associated with handling hazardous chemicals. When companies skip or rush these safety assessments, they fail to anticipate and mitigate known hazards, leaving workers vulnerable to toxic exposures. This negligence not only violates safety regulations but also places the entire operation at risk.
- Disregarding Important Safety Warnings: Many incidents occur because companies or operators ignore clear warning signs—such as pressure build-ups, equipment malfunctions, or alarm systems—designed to prevent chemical releases and gas leaks. Whether due to complacency, mismanagement, or a desire to avoid costly shutdowns, failing to address these warnings can result in preventable disasters.
Common Maritime Chemical Exposure Injuries
Exposure to hazardous substances in the maritime industry can lead to a range of serious and, in many cases, long-term health consequences. Depending on the nature of the chemicals involved, maritime workers may face life-altering injuries and illnesses, some of which can develop over time or worsen pre-existing conditions.
Common injuries include:
- Burn injuries that may require extensive medical treatment, including skin grafts or reconstructive surgery.
- Respiratory problems that can result in chronic respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, or persistent coughing, or may cause lung damage, pulmonary fibrosis, and difficulty breathing.
- Neurological injuries including memory loss, confusion, difficulty concentrating, mood disorders such as depression or anxiety, and in extreme cases, permanent brain damage.
- Ocular irritation that may include redness, burning, blurred vision, or result in chronic vision problems, including partial vision loss or permanent damage to the eyes.
- Cardiovascular effects including arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats), increased blood pressure, and other heart-related problems.
- Sensory damage including partial or total vision loss, as well as the loss of smell, which can be permanent.
- Cancer, including increased risk of developing mesothelioma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, or cancers affecting the kidneys, bladder, and urinary tract.
- Aplastic anemia, a serious blood disorder in which the body fails to produce enough new blood cells.
- Reproductive issues in both men and women, including infertility.
- Wrongful death
If you are injured because of a maritime chemical release, gas leak, or offshore explosion, seek immediate medical treatment. Consult with your physician about any long-term conditions you might develop due to the accident.
From there, it’s crucial that you speak with a Houston maritime attorney about your legal options for recovering the maximum compensation possible.
As a seaman or offshore worker, you very likely have grounds to seek justice and compensation through a Jones Act Lawsuit.
Don’t take a chance with your future. Contact us today at 1-888-603-3636.
How Zehl & Associates Can Help if You Were if You Were Injured in an Offshore Accident
When an offshore drilling rig releases toxic and volatile chemicals, workers are far more likely to suffer debilitating injuries, long-term health problems, and could even die. As a result, potential verdicts and settlements related to these catastrophes tend to be much larger and may even break records.
But offshore companies know this, and along with their insurance companies and attorneys, will do anything to avoid responsibility and pay you as little as possible, going as far as destroying evidence, hiring private investigators to follow you, and pressuring your family into accepting far less than the full compensation you deserve.
To quickly level the playing field, you need a team with the experience, knowledge, and resources to take on the largest oil and gas companies in the world and not only win, but set records.
At Zehl & Associates, we have won Billions for injured seamen, drillers, mechanics, crew, oil rig workers, and other offshore workers. And we know exactly how to hold them fully accountable for causing you harm.
Once hired, we stop at nothing to stand up, fight, and recover the maximum compensation you and your family deserve:
- We make sure you have access to the top-rated doctors and specialists in the country to treat your injuries at no up-front cost to you
- We are here for you around the clock, so you can focus on what matters most
- We NEVER settle for less than maximum compensation and we prepare every case for trial. If the company refuses to offer a settlement that fully compensates our clients, we will see them in the courtroom, where we remain undefeated
- Unless we are successful with your claim and recover money on your behalf, you don’t owe us a dime
Our team is here for you every step of the way. But don’t just take it from us — hear what our clients have to say about working with us.
Undefeated Maritime Accident Attorneys: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult
Having recovered the largest, record-setting verdicts and settlements for injured offshore workers across the Gulf Coast and the United States, our undefeated Texas maritime injury lawyers can help you fight for the full compensation you need and deserve.
Contact our Undefeated Maritime Lawyers in Texas for a free consultation at 1-888-603-3636 or by sending us a confidential email through our Contact Us form.
Whether your claim falls under the Jones Act, DOHSA, or General Maritime Laws, we’ll answer your questions, explain your options, and make sure you have the information you need to do what’s best for you and your family.
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Houston
2700 Post Oak Blvd #1000, Houston, TX 77056
(888) 603-3636
29.73890263937774, -95.4612824423294
Open 24 hours
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Midland
306 W Wall St Suite 701, Midland, TX 79701
(432) 220-0000
31.99827039117601, -102.07752974593966
Open 24 hours