Experts are investigating corrosion of pipelines, especially natural gas, as a possible cause for industrial injuries. According to the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, around one-half of Pennsylvania's natural gas transmission pipelines are 45 years old. Recent studies noted that corrosion was responsible for about 28 percent of pipeline accidents over the past 30 years. The vast majority of those accidents occurred on pipelines that were between 30 and 60 years old. This post will go over corrosion and its role in pipeline injuries.
Experts point out that, just because a pipeline hasn't shown issues before, doesn't mean that it won't in the future or that is isn't susceptible to future accidents. Every year a pipeline ages, the chances of an accident go up. Eventually, those odds will result in an accident.
While several industry-funded studies, and one from the federal government, conclude that age and accidents are two independent factors. The data sets in the studies do show a correlation between the age of the pipes and frequency of accidents. Specifically, old pipelines tend to fail more often.
If you believe that your injury was due to a failure in equipment, such as a pipeline accident, then you may want to speak with an attorney. On-the-job injuries are typically covered by workers' compensation, which will help ensure that you continue receiving income while you are out due to your injuries and it will pay for your medical bills. You were the victim; you shouldn't have to pay for your medical bills. That is your employer's workers' compensation insurer's job.
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