North Dakota Toxic Fumes Attorney
In today’s environment where there is an ever increasing need to produce more oil and gas, oil field workers are exposed to highly toxic fumes and chemicals every day placing them at a higher risk level for serious health problems than employees in most other industries.
It is not uncommon for a company to expose their employees to highly toxic fumes or chemicals and fail to provide the proper training that has been mandated by the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA). Furthermore, companies often fail to notify their employees that the chemicals they are handling are toxic until after the exposure to the fumes has occurred and injured an employee. Traynor Law Firm has the resources to guide you on any negligence that may have caused your toxic fume illness.
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Studies
Field studies by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) discovered that when oil field workers performing hydraulic fracturing work were exposed to silica that is airborne it created a serious health threat to those workers. Silica (crystalline silica) is one of the naturally occurring minerals in the earth. If crystalline silica particles are inhaled, they are minute enough to affect the capacity of the lungs’ gas exchange regions which simply means the lungs become less capable of taking in oxygen.
What is “fracking”?
In a process referred to as “fracking,” or hydraulic fracturing, large amounts of sand and water are pumped into a well at a high speed to increase pressure within the well so that shale and other formations will actually be fractured thereby releasing oil and gas into an oil well. This practice of “fracking” has become increasingly more common in recent years due to new methods improving accessibility to oil deposits and natural gas beneath the earth. During the fracking process, oil field workers can be easily exposed to crystalline silica dust. While the inhalation of crystalline silica appears to be a high risk factor for developing a debilitating and sometimes fatal lung disease referred to as silicosis, there are additional concerns surrounding the exposure to diesel particles, methane fumes, and exhaust gas fumes. All pose serious concerns regarding debilitating lung diseases.
Specialists trained by OSHA are available to assist companies, and employees with compliance information, and to provide programs that will educate both the company and their employees regarding hazards in a specific industry and standards set by OSHA. However, in the name of profit, many companies fail to utilize the necessary resources to train their employees and eliminate the chance of inhaling toxic fumes.
Our Toxic Fumes Attorney team at Traynor Law Firm is experts in assisting their clients who have been exposed to toxic fumes, and ensuring that they receive the compensation that is rightfully theirs. Contact us today.
