Plants and refineries are some of the most dangerous places to work. There
are several types of plants, including power plants, chemical plants,
and oil refineries. While each type of plant is dangerous, they all present
their own specific risks and hazards that workers must be aware of and
protect themselves against. Below are some of the most common types of
accidents that occur at plants and refineries.
Common Plant & Refinery Accidents
Chemical Plant Accidents – Working in a chemical plant comes with many inherent risks due
to the volatility of the chemicals that are being produced. Even so, many
of the injuries that occur in chemical plants could be easily avoided
if workers practiced caution and followed proper safety protocols.
Oil Refinery Accidents – Oil refineries are industrial process plants that refine crude
oil into other products. Because of the technology used in oil refineries,
they can be thought of as a type of chemical plant in many ways. Heating
is used to refine the crude oil, so accidents that result from overheating
are a common occurrence. Other accidents can be cause by defective or
malfunctioning equipment.
Explosions – Plants and refineries are particularly dangerous due to the high
volume of flammable and combustible materials inside the plant. If workers
do not follow the proper safety protocols, catastrophic explosions could
happen at any moment. While following proper safety call is of the utmost
importance, it is also crucial that management and employees properly
maintain and update the equipment in the plant. Many past explosions could
have been avoidable had worn-down or outdated equipment been maintained
or upgraded.
Fires – While explosions are typically more catastrophic, fires can often
be isolated events that do not necessarily cause an explosion. Again,
because of the nature of plants and refineries and the flammable materials
they contain, fires can erupt if the materials are not handled with care.
Getting Help
If you were injured in a chemical plant or oil refinery accident, it is
advisable that you speak with an accident attorney as soon as possible.
While it is true that not all dangers can be engineered out of plants
and refineries, the fact is that an alarming amount of accidents are caused
by human error or negligence. Often, that negligence may not be immediately
clear, but an experienced accident attorney will be able to review the
facts of your case and conduct an investigation into the cause of the
accident that resulted in your injuries.
Contact our industrial accident attorneys today to learn how we can help you.