Cameron Parish offshore vessel crews: Jones Act claims for toxic exposure and injuries

Workers check in at Cameron Parish port facilities before boarding vessels for their offshore rotations, but their actual work takes place in Gulf waters aboard platform supply vessels, crew boats, and LNG carriers.

Offshore workers in the Gulf regularly come into contact with benzene, a cancer-causing chemical found in petroleum and fuels. Workers on supply vessels, crew boats, and LNG carriers are exposed to benzene during fuel tank upkeep, cargo transfers to and from platforms, engine room work with diesel and petroleum products, and spill cleanup in tight spaces.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, benzene inhalation leads to blood cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia, multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Workers develop chronic exposure by inhaling vapors in enclosed areas with poor ventilation or getting benzene on their skin from contaminated fluids. Since symptoms can take years to appear, workers may not realize their illness is work-related until they review their detailed job history.

Additional chemical hazards during offshore rotations

Offshore vessel crews encounter multiple toxic substances during their work rotations in Gulf waters. Diesel exhaust from engines and generators releases harmful particles and organic compounds that build up in engine rooms and living areas. Maintenance solvents and degreasers give off fumes that workers breathe without proper protection. Paint and coatings applied in tight spaces expose crews to isocyanates and heavy metals. Industrial cleaners come into contact with skin and eyes during regular deck work.

Health studies of Deepwater Horizon cleanup workers found harmful lung and heart effects among crews exposed to oil, dispersants, and volatile organic compounds. NIOSH and OSHA evaluated Gulf operations and recognized that workers face chemical hazards through breathing and skin contact during maritime work. These studies demonstrate that offshore vessel crews face demonstrable toxic exposure risks with long-term health implications.

Jones Act coverage for vessel-based workers

The Jones Act defines seamen as employees who work substantial time aboard vessels in navigable waters. To qualify, workers need to show an ongoing connection to a vessel or fleet as part of their regular job duties. Offshore support crews leaving from Cameron Parish may qualify as seamen when their work involves extended shifts on platform supply vessels, crew boats transporting workers to rigs, tugboats assisting LNG carriers in Gulf waters, or workboats doing marine construction.

The time spent performing duties aboard these vessels determines Jones Act eligibility, not check-in at Cameron Parish port facilities. Workers qualify for protection based on their vessel assignments and the nature of work performed in navigable waters, regardless of where their offshore rotation begins.

Employer negligence and qualifying conditions for compensation

The Jones Act holds employers liable when they don't protect crews from known chemical hazards aboard vessels. Companies are negligent when they let fuel vapors accumulate in tight spaces without ventilation systems, fail to supply appropriate respirators for benzene tasks, don't inform workers about carcinogenic petroleum products they handle, or operate with fuel leaks that contaminate the workplace.

For toxic exposure cases, workers need to show that employer negligence played a role in their illness through inadequate safety gear, lack of air quality monitoring in engine rooms and cargo areas, failure to implement cleanup procedures after chemical contact, or continued use of dangerous solvents when safer options existed.

Maritime workers who developed cancer linked to vessel-based chemical exposures may file Jones Act claims. Benzene and diesel exhaust exposure can cause leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and lung cancer. Workers may also qualify if they suffered catastrophic injuries during offshore operations.

ELG Law represents offshore vessel crews with toxic exposure claims

If you worked aboard vessels departing from Cameron Parish and developed cancer after handling petroleum products, working in engine rooms, or performing maintenance with industrial chemicals, you may qualify for Jones Act compensation. The Environmental Litigation Group has represented toxic exposure victims for over 35 years. For more information about filing a Jones Act claim related to benzene or chemical exposure, please contact us today.