In an instant, an industrial explosion can change the course of a person’s life. It only takes a second for a chemical trigger to cause an explosion. Workers, residents near the industrial site, and others may suffer injuries ranging from smoke inhalation to burns to fractured limbs.
Lopez Franco, PLLC serves the victims of these industrial explosions. As a Houston Industrial Explosion Injury Attorney, our team of legal professionals knows what it takes to represent the interests of industrial workers injured in explosions. What victims need to know, and how to make decisions once injured, are the keys to standing up for their rights.
Why do Explosions Occur in Industrial Settings?
Flammable materials are common in industrial settings. As part of safety protocols, these materials must be isolated and not exposed to elements that may cause them to combust and create explosive conditions. For example, in refineries, when hydrocarbons escape from containment equipment, they may come into contact with materials that can cause an explosion.
What Safety Failures Commonly Lead to Explosions?
Industries ranging from refineries to fabrication to heavy manufacturing have infrastructure prone to degradation over time. Piping that breaks down over time due to exposure to the elements is especially common in oil and gas refineries that dot the landscape of Southeast Texas. The significant piping infrastructure must be maintained to prevent dangerous conditions in which gases and other substances could escape and cause an explosion.
With so many people working together on an industrial site, there is ample opportunity for them not to communicate effectively about safety protocols. There are federal and state requirements for upholding strict safety requirements. When dangerous gases are released over an extended period, the risk of ignition increases dramatically.
Which Injuries are Most Commonly Suffered in an Industrial Explosion?
When an explosion occurs in an industrial setting, it can trigger a chain reaction. Many events may occur simultaneously, leading to severe injuries among workers and on-site personnel. The force of the blast may break apart large objects, sending pieces flying through the air. Likewise, fire may spread from an initial location to one where flammable materials are stored.
While certain injuries sustained in an industrial explosion are immediately recognizable, others are not. For example, consider that smoke or chemical inhalation can take hours to produce symptoms. Carbon monoxide poisoning can take weeks to create symptoms in an otherwise healthy individual.
Seeking medical treatment as soon as possible, even if you believe your injuries to be minor, can be beneficial. Documenting medical care received is a first step towards recovering proper damages for injuries suffered in an explosion.
Contact Lopez Franco, PLLC for a Free Case Review
Injury victims in industrial site explosions have legal options to consider. Negligence claims against third-party contractors, site operators, and an injury victim’s direct employer may all need to be filed.
A Houston Industrial Explosion Injury Attorney, Lopez Franco, PLLC works on behalf of injury victims and their families. Contact our office today for a free case review.