On June 21, 2011, Robert David Taylor, 54, a Chevron field supervisor, was working with a team from Gene Watson Construction, who was hired to engineer and install oil field equipment in western Kern County. Taylor was walking along with three other men in the Midway-Sunset oil field when the ground underneath suddenly gave way. Taylor then fell 30 feet into a hole full of oil and steam. He died after being immersed in oil byproducts, including hydrogen sulfide.
Concerns about the Midway-Sunset field had been addressed earlier in the year, when two perforated pipelines had to be repaired after seeping fluids during steam injection. Presently, steam injections have halted at the field while the Department of Oil and Gas and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigate the incident.
For the oil industry, pipelines remain the most efficient method for transporting crude oil and petroleum products. However, recent concerns over explosions, fires, and environmental contamination have brought the maintenance and construction of pipelines under scrutiny. According to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 36 serious and 255 significant pipeline related incidents occurred in 2010. These incidents resulted in 22 deaths, 106 injuries, and nearly a billion dollars in property damage.
Despite their loss, the Taylor family is barred from a civil suit against Chevron, Taylor's employer. However, Taylor's family filed a wrongful death suit against Gene Watson Construction in August. A wrongful death claim arises when a person is killed as the result of the negligent acts or omissions of another. In this tort action, a victim's family, or survivors, can seek monetary compensation and damages for their loss. Since the investigations are still pending, additional filings could be expected.
While wrongful death is a valid cause of action, other laws may come into play when a person dies on the job. In the case of pipeline accidents, everything seems more complex. Several entities investigate the accident and a number of parties may be culpable for the negligent situation or condition that caused the employee's death. Understanding and considering worker's compensation laws, third party liability and negligence rules is crucial.
Until a more efficient mode of transporting oil products is found, pipelines are here to stay. For now, it is important to ensure the existing infrastructure is safe so that tragic accidents like Robert Taylor's don't continue to happen.
