9 workers have been confirmed dead in an offshore explosion in Brazil occurring in February. Among those who lost their lives were seven Brazilians and one Indian.
The explosion occurred on the Cidade de São Mateus, floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. An FPSO is an offshore vessel that produces its own hydrocarbons or receives them from platforms or other nearby production sources, stores the production, and then offloads it on to tankers or other vessels. The FPSO was owned and operated by BW Offshore, a Norwegian company, for Petrobras. The workers who died in this tragic accident were employed by BW Offshore.
Though details are limited at this time, early reports claim that the explosion was caused by a gas leak. Luckily, the fire was contained quickly and no oil leaked into the ocean.
Offshore Explosion in Brazil Just One of Many Problems for Petrobras
Even before the recent offshore explosion, the company was suffering from a whole host of issues. It has the largest debt of any oil company and consequently, has allegedly been forced to operate many of its facilities without performing maintenance work. To make matters worse, the company is currently embroiled in a corruption scandal that has led to the arrest of numerous officials and contractors and the resignation of its CEO and five other executives.
The explosion also comes on the heels of a recent industrial accident at a Petrobras refinery in Brazil. Three workers were injured in an explosion that occurred while they were using an electric sander on the inside of a drained hydrogen tank. The injured workers sustained burns to significant portions of their bodies.
These incidents lend support to criticism that Petrobras has faced from union officials about worker safety. Petrobras has been accused of, among other things, using contract workers who are not always qualified to safely operate the equipment used during operations.
New Orleans Offshore Injury Lawyer
The offshore explosion in Brazil is but one example of the sort of extreme dangers faced by offshore workers on a daily basis. While many jobs carry some level of safety risk, few compare to the dangers encountered working offshore and in industrial operations.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident while working offshore or in an industrial facility, The Mahone Firm can help. Call (504) 564-7342 to discuss your case with a Louisiana personal injury attorney at no charge.
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