Rigger Accident Lawyer
Many maritime accidents aboard ships, offshore rigs and vessels involve cranes or derricks and the loading or unloading of cargo or pipe. Rig workers or ship crew may be seriously hurt or fatally injured by swinging cargo or a dropped load. Many of these accidents are preventable and were caused by a lack of attention to safety procedures by a maritime employer, including oil and gas companies. If you or a family member has suffered a serious injury in a maritime accident or rig accident, contact an experienced maritime accident lawyer at Arnold & Itkin LLP. We have helped numerous injured offshore workers, maritime crew, dock hands and their families obtain financial compensation after a serious or fatal accident.
Rigger Accidents Bring New Rules
Hooking and unhooking a load or working in the fall zone of a crane is dangerous duty. Every load presents its own challenges. Some loads are unstable or unusually heavy. The designated rigger must have the experience to rig the load for a particular job and guide the load. Workers can suffer head injuries, traumatic brain injuries and neck and spinal injuries from being struck by an unsecured or swinging load. Employers must make sure that riggers have the qualifications and skill to handle the rigging work for a particular job.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, approximately 100 people a year die in crane and derrick accidents. To reduce fatalities in crane and derrick accidents, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration updated safety rules for cranes and derricks in November 2010. The rules apply to cranes on barges, floating cranes, tower cranes and mobile cranes.
The rule changes require that operators of cranes with a lifting capacity of more than 2,000 pounds be certified for the equipment which they are operating. The rule also creates an expectation that other workers assisting in hoisting loads, including riggers and signalers, also be qualified for the jobs they're performing. The rule contains new inspection requirements and an increased frequency of inspections. All equipment, including synthetic slings, must be operated according to manufacturers' specifications and safety guidelines.
Contact a crane accident lawyer from our firm today!
If you have been injured in a maritime-related accident such as a crane or derrick accident, you owe it to yourself and your family to understand your legal rights. You have legal rights to compensation if your injury was caused by the negligence of others, including ship owners and employers. Talk to an experienced crane accident lawyer at Arnold & Itkin LLP. We are aggressive advocates and skilled negotiators for injured seamen and maritime workers. We are prepared to go the distance in our efforts to protect you.
Do not hesitate to contact a maritime attorney from our firm today if you have been involved in a rigger accident while working offshore.
