Alarm System Disabled Before Deepwater Horizon Explosion
According to The Washington Post, the Deepwater Horizon chief electronics technician Michael Williams has testified that a major alarm system on the oil rig had been disabled prior to the devastating explosion that triggered one of the worst oil spills in history.
The disabled alarm was intended to alert crew members when dangerous gases leaked into an area where they could meet potential sources of ignition. However, the Deepwater Horizon had been operating with such safety measures suppressed for a year prior to its demise. The reason? Williams said rig leaders told him they didn’t want the crew awakened from their sleep by the alarms.
The Washington Post reports that this is not a unique ruling by oil rig leadership; there is substantial evidence of repeated disabling of key safety systems on oil rigs, including records of fines levied against operators for allegedly making such decisions.
Eleven crew members of Deepwater Horizon died when the rig exploded on April 20th. Williams was on board when the rig exploded, and survived by jumping into the gulf.
