Forbes Ranks Oil Rig Workers Jobs as Worst of 2013

If you’re an offshore worker, chances are that your friends think your job is very cushy, because of the pay package you draw every month. Unfortunately as you and every offshore injury worker knows, work on an oil rig is stressful, highly demanding, and comes with a much higher risk of injuries and fatalities compared to other workplaces. It is for this reason that Forbes magazine recently listed offshore injury workers’ jobs as the worst in the country.

The fact that offshore workers’ jobs are considered so bad is not really a surprise to offshore injury attorneys who are aware of the kind of risk that workers face every day. The BP oil rig explosion of April 2010 really brought home to America the kind of horrific dangers these workers face every day on the job, and the risks that they struggle with every day. However, explosions are not the only risk for workers on a rig.

Workers toil in stressful, highly demanding conditions, and may be expected to work in heavy rains, storms, or scorching heat. The work is physically very strenuous, and a worker’s stress levels may be constantly high because of the high pressure environment. In case of any emergency, evacuation is not easy and even risky, because of the challenging weather and sea conditions involved. Then there’s the danger involving offshore helicopter trouble. An offshore worker makes dozens of helicopter trips to and from an oil rig or platform every year, and every trip is fraught with risk.

It’s not so surprising therefore, that in its listing of the top 200 jobs in the country, the Forbes survey places an offshore oil rig worker’s job at number 196.