On Saturday, February 9, a fatal explosion occurred at the Air Liquide plant in La Porte. Neighbors were startled by the blast around 7:40 a.m. and saw smoke billowing from the plant. The explosion killed a 30 year old chemist at the plant and sent another employee to the hospital in critical condition.
While the cause of this accident is still under investigation, all too often plant explosions and other industrial accidents are preventable. A considerable number of workplace accidents result from the employer’s negligence in not following safety guidelines, not adequately training employees in safety procedures, and failing to maintain equipment. These oversights usually happen because it is faster and cheaper to cut corners on these issues than it is to make sure the facility is run as safely as possible.
All industrial workers should be aware of their legal rights before an incident like this happens, especially the right to work with an attorney of their own choosing. After an accident company lawyers may attempt to contact injured employees in an effort to get them to sign away their right to take legal action. Employees should always try to find their own attorney to consult with before talking to or signing anything from the company. Remembering this piece of advice could be the difference between being awarded monetary damages for injuries and being left no with recourse against the employer for its negligence.
Ben Bronston and Associates is here to help you or your family if you have been injured in a plant explosion or other workplace accident. Our firm has the unique ability to help people in in Texas. This means we can help employees who work at the vast number of plants, refineries, and other industrial facilities located along the gulf coast.
