Common Causes of Plant Explosions
With all of the chemicals that are prevalent in our modern day culture,
it is an unfortunate truth that we are sometimes forced to pay the price.
While almost every workplace is at risk for a chemical explosion, this
is never truer than at a chemical or industrial plant, such as a refinery.
By the creation of gases, the build-up of heat, and the reaction, a chemical
plant can become the source of serious and debilitating explosions. These
can result in serious
plant explosion injuries, such as third-degree burns, and even severe
property damage that can affect the local community for years to come.
What really causes plant explosions to occur?
In all truthfulness, there are many different situations which can lead
to a plant explosion; however, some have been noted as occurring more
often than others. For example, simple fires can quickly spiral out of
control into causing these large explosions. In other cases, a natural
disaster such as an earthquake or lightning storm can be the cause.
Other common causes for plant explosions include:
Other common causes of plant explosions include well blowouts, poor labeling,
unsafe procedures, and even violations of
OSHA safety regulations. All of the above are usually preventable, which makes
plant explosions all the more tragic. If you have recently been injured
in a plant explosion, then it is in your best interests to get the involvement
of an experienced
industrial accident attorney who can help you file a claim in regards to the explosion.
What Attorneys Kurt Arnold & Jason Itkin Say
For Attorneys Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin, the crux of most plant explosion
cases is determining who exactly was at fault. For this reason, they often
make it their number one priority. According to Kurt, the team will often
visit on-site inspections; during this time, they are able to see first-hand,
not only the plant equipment-and how it should and shouldn't work-but
also how the operating procedures typically were at the plant. Beyond
that, Kurt states that the firm will often take the extra step of hiring
both engineers and experts to accompany them on these visits; their expert
eye allows for the attorneys to know what to look for and what they're seeing.
Jason has a similar viewpoint on the importance of determining the exact
cause of plant explosions. For him, it doesn't matter whether the plant
explosion was national headline news or whether few people heard about
it-if people were unjustly injured, it's a tragedy. With their extensive
experience, Arnold & Itkin is able to put their knowledge, experience,
and resources to work to complete an in-depth investigation about why
and how the explosion happened. Our firm knows that what OSHA says happened,
or what the plant states in an official release, is not always the full story.
It is our industrial injury lawyers' jobs to make sure that the truth comes to light.
Causes of Major Plant Explosions Throughout the Years
In 2005, the
BP's Texas City Refinery exploded-an accident that cost 15 lives and left 170 people with severe
injuries. It was later reported that the explosion had occurred because
of several actions. First, the raffinate splitter had been overfilled;
this liquid was also overheated and had been over-pressurized. The blowdown
drum and stack had been overwhelmed by the hydrocarbon fluid, which resulted
in liquids coming over the top, flowing down the stack, and spilling on
the ground. This all resulted in vaporization that was ignited by a truck
later in the day. This was all eventually chalked up to plant owner failings
in equipment, risk management, and even the general safety of the plant.
A more recent example is the explosion of the
Kleen Energy Systems plant in 2010. This explosion resulted in 5 lives being taken and over 50 people
suffering serious injuries. Possible causes of the incident center on
the blow-down procedure. Following the incident, the OSHA immediately
began an investigation and has reported that a total of 17 companies will
be fined as a result. Overall, there was a total of almost 400 safety
violations-many of which the OSHA stated had been deliberate disregards
of safety protocol. Unfortunately, such deliberate violations are not
unheard of and can result in serious and debilitating injuries-they can
even be tried as criminal negligence in certain cases.
Plant Explosion Law Firm Fighting for You
If you have been involved in a plant explosion and have suffered personal
injuries or property damage, you have a right to file for compensation.
By getting the involvement of an aggressive law firm, you will be giving
yourself the edge you need. At Arnold & Itkin LLP, we have been involved
in cases relating to explosions before (such as the BP Texas City explosion
and the Deepwater Horizon explosion); we know the best ways in which to
protect you rights. We recognize that in many cases, plant owner negligence
and disregard of safety can be the cause. We will do everything we can
so that liable parties are held responsible for their actions. Should
you choose to work with our firm, we will do everything possible to help
you. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can protect you.
For more information, do not hesitate to
contact Arnold & Itkin LLP as soon as possible.