Workplace Safety Violations Are Major Contributors to Plant and Refinery Explosions

The presence of flammable hydrocarbons, heavy equipment, and other hazardous materials can make plants and refineries dangerous places to work for workers and contractors across the country who rely on these jobs to support themselves and their families.

In an effort to reduce and prevent serious and fatal accidents and explosions, the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) established workplace safety regulations that plant and refinery owners are legally required to follow.

Focus on Profits Over Safety Exposes Industrial Workers to Serious and Fatal Hazards

Unfortunately—as we’ve learned from successfully representing over 1,000 industrial workers in connection with the most catastrophic plant and refinery accidents and explosions across the country—these rules and regulations are often ignored in an effort to cut costs and save time.

Just recently, for example, we reached a $100 Million settlement on behalf of a group of refinery workers who were injured when a reboiler exploded during a plant expansion.  We learned, after deposing plant supervisors and corporate management, that the explosion would have been prevented if the company had spent less than $2 on a simple safety device.

Common Safety Violations at Plants and Refineries

The hazards and conditions created by the most common OSHA violations greatly increase the chances of a serious and preventable plant or refinery explosion.

These violations include:

• Lockout and Tagout Requirements: these standards are intended to protect workers from the unexpected startup or release of stored energy that can occur during servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment.
• Electrical Safety Standards: OSHA’s electrical standards were designed to ensure that all electrical equipment is “intrinsically safe” and approved for use around combustible hydrocarbons and other chemicals.
• JSAs and Safety Evaluations: OSHA regulations require that plant owners and operators utilize Job Safety Analysis (JSAs) and other hazard prevention tools to ensure that workers are aware of and know how to prevent hazards and dangers that could occur while performing a job.
• Fall Protection Violations: employers are required to configure the workplace to prevent employees from falling off of overhead platforms, elevated work stations or into holes or concealed hazards in floors and walkways.
• Electrical Wiring Standards: OSHA regulations control how electrical equipment is designed, wired and used to to protect workers from electric shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions.

Plant and Refinery Owners Will Do Everything Possible to Avoid Responsibility After a Plant Accident or Explosion

Plant owners and operators are legally required to follow OSHA standards and other safety rules and regulations designed to ensure that workers and contractors are provided with a safe workplace.

Unfortunately, we’ve learned—through representing thousands of industrial workers who were seriously injured or tragically killed in plant and refinery explosions across the country—that the owners and operators are almost always more focused on profits than worker safety and will do everything possible to avoid responsibility after a serious accident or explosion.

In addition to trying to limit workers and their families to workers comp benefits, which only cover a fraction of the worker’s lost wages, the companies will

• try to blame the workers who were injured or tragically killed
• minimize their injuries by sending them to doctors selected and paid by the company or the workers’ comp providers, and
• hire teams of lawyers to avoid having to compensate the workers and their families for their lost wages, medical expenses and other financial and physical losses.

What’s worse is that the companies will typically do this after promising you and your family that they’re going to take care of you and that you have nothing to worry about.

Having successfully represented workers in connection with every major plant accident and explosion in recent history, our Plant Accident Lawyers understand how the companies work and what we need to win, which is why we’ve recovered the largest verdicts and settlements in history for workers who were seriously injured or tragically killed in connection with plant and refinery accidents.

Contact Our Undefeated Plant Explosion Lawyers for a Free Consultation by Calling 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here

With more than $1 billion won for injured plant and refinery workers across Texas, Louisiana and the United States, our Undefeated Plant Explosion Attorneys have the resources, skills and experience needed to stand up against the largest companies in the world and ensure that our clients and their families are fully compensated for all of their injuries and losses.

We’ll answer your questions, explain your rights, and provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for yourself and your family.

All consultations are free and confidential, and since we only work on a contingency-fee basis, you’ll owe us nothing unless we win your case.

Call 1-888-603-3636 or click here to send us an email through our “Contact Us” form.