As Oil Patch Jobs Rise, So Do Workplace Deaths

1/4/2013 11:00 AM EST

North Dakota’s energy sector is booming – and so are workplace deaths and injuries related to the state’s oil fields.

The Associated Press reports that of the 29 workers who were killed on the job in the last fiscal year, 13 worked in Oil Patch jobs, according to data from North Dakota’s workers’ compensation agency. To reduce workplace deaths and injuries, the agency is now offering safety training to companies.

According to the director of North Dakota’s workforce safety and insurance agency, the increase in the number of employees in the state’s booming oil sector means a greater potential exists for worker injuries. Jobs in the oil fields involve heavy equipment and are often more dangerous than other occupations.

The Associated Press reports that there are about 65,000 workers in oil-related jobs in the state, nearly three times the number of workers in 2010. Meanwhile, the number of claims filed by injured oil workers in North Dakota has increased almost fourfold, from 747 to 2,866. Compensation paid to workers has risen from $3.6 million in 2010 to $14.2 million in the last fiscal year.

If you or a loved one has experienced a workplace injury, contact Sokolove Law today for a free legal consultation and to find out if a workplace injury lawyer may be able to help you.