“Human error” frequently blamed for injuries in Hercules Offshore projects

Accidents and injuries for offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico are to be reported to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). An Accident Investigation Report (AIR) is filled out listing both the probable cause and contributing causes of the event.

Causes listed include: equipment failure, external damage, slip and fall, weather related, and leaks.

In many cases involving Hercules Offshore and other operators, despite the industry cited by many as the most dangerous working environment in the country, one primary cause is commonly listed: Human Error.

Take, for example, the AIR filed for a July 13, 2008 accident. At approximately 10:30 p.m. on a Hercules Offshore contracted rig, a worker sustained left shoulder injuries after being struck by a hose that fell 30 feet.

Despite the primary cause being given as “the suspended drill pipe was able to back out of its connection,” crew member mistakes were cited as the guilty party.

Many other examples of this are available in AIRs which can be found in the BOEM site at www.boemre.gov

Source: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management