How Texas Plant Fires and Explosions are Adversely Altering Lives Throughout the State

At the Hollingsworth Law Firm, our Houston plant refinery accident and injury attorneys know that the oil and gas industries are big businesses in Texas. This means companies like Schlumberger, ExxonMobil, Shell, Halliburton, and Chevron do more than substantially contribute to the state’s economy, they help influence the industry’s regulations.

Whether it is petroleum and coal, chemical products, metals, plastics, or rubber plants, fires and explosions are common occurrences throughout Texas. The reality is, plant work is a dangerous business for both employees and surrounding residents alike, as these incidents can cause severe burns and other catastrophic injuries immediately when they occur.

Unfortunately, our Harris County industrial accident injury lawyers know the hazards created by plant fires and explosions go well beyond the incident itself. The fact is, it is impossible to know how these incidents impact the air and water quality of nearby residents after the commonly issued shelter-in-place orders are lifted.

The bigger question is, will the plant owners and operators tell us? When it comes to leaks of toxic chemicals like volatile organic compounds, workers and the public can suffer from exposure to hazardous chemicals like benzene, which can cause cancer due to long-term contact.

So why do these accidents happen in the first place? Here are the most common causes of chemical plant fires and explosions.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Identifies Four Common Causes of Chemical Plant Accidents

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has identified four of the most common causes of chemical plant accidents, injuries, and fatalities in Texas and across the nation.

They include:

• Human Error

An estimated 74% of all industrial accidents throughout the U.S. are due to human error. Specifically, an employee’s failure to follow company and Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety guidelines or procedures.

• Lack of Safety Training

When industrial employers fail to properly train plant workers, they are more likely to fail to safely operate equipment and follow safety guidelines, which circles back to the main cause of industrial accidents.

• Lack of Maintenance

Working with volatile products requires constant inspections, cleaning, and maintenance to ensure the machinery is operating safely. When companies fail to make immediate repairs, or discover malfunctions or broken equipment, people are going to get hurt.

• Manufacturer Defects

When chemical or industrial plant machinery is not designed or manufactured properly, a malfunction can occur without notice, causing dangerous explosions and fires that lead to serious and even fatal injuries throughout the industry.

While Texas regulators say they swiftly respond to plant and industrial explosions and chemical leaks of all types, there is only so much recovery that is within their power.

Our skilled personal injury lawyers in Houston provide each of our injured clients and those who have lost their loved ones in these horrific accidents with a thorough investigation to determine why the accident happened and to prevent similar industrial accidents in the future.

Contact Our Skilled Industrial Accidents Attorneys in Houston, Texas Today

If you or someone you love has been injured or lost their life in a Texas plant fire or explosion, contact our dedicated Houston personal injury lawyers at the Hollingsworth Law Firm today by calling 713-637-4560 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

Our skilled bilingual personal injury lawyers and support staff represent clients throughout the state of Texas on a contingency basis, so you never pay any legal fees unless we win your case.

If you are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve, so are we. Let us take the lead.