In November, there was a fatal accident at an oil rig outside of Cotulla, Texas, when a worker who was setting up the rig was hit and killed by a portion of the track for the drive system of the drilling platform. There had been 13 workers at the site when the accident happened.

The accident spurred an investigation and now the drilling company, Patterson-UTI Drilling Co. LLC, faces $53,900 in potential fines for safety violations that were discovered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The company was written up for two serious safety violations and one repeat violation. The repeat violation was for not having guards along open-sided floors to prevent workers from falling down. Under OSHA standards, the company now has 15 days to respond to the safety citations and can choose to agree to pay the penalties, contest the allegations or request a meeting with OSHA.

OSHA has a very important role in ensuring that some of the most dangerous workplaces comply with safety standards so that workers are kept as safe as possible. However, as you can see, companies don't always comply with OSHA standards, and sometimes the nonfeasance is not discovered until it's too late.

In these cases, workers and their families often pursue personal injury lawsuits against the employers who put their workers at risk. In doing so, workers and their families can often ask for compensation for medical bills, lost wages and any other expenses related to the accident.

If you or someone you love has been injured on the job and it was partly due to the negligence of the employer, you may be entitled to compensation under a under a negligence theory or products liability theory. Contact a personal injury lawyer in your state for advice.

Source: Mysanantonio.com, "Driller faces possible fines by OSHA," Patrick Danner, 5/10/2011.