Those who work at oil refineries in Texas and throughout the United States have incredibly dangerous jobs. These jobs are vital for the safety and security of this country, but it is crucial for safety to remain the number one priority at all times. Unfortunately, safety violations at refineries can lead to deadly fires and explosions. Here, we want to discuss how safety violations could affect an explosion injury case. If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an oil rig explosion, safety violations could mean that another person is liable for the incident.

Regulations for Refinery Safety

There are various entities that will be responsible for ensuring the safety of refineries and refinery workers in the United States. When we look to the US Department of Labor, specifically the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), we can see that there are various standards in place to ensure refinery safety. Additionally, every state where a refinery is located will also have its own safety standards in place to protect workers.

If we look at the law that created OSHA, the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act, we can see that employers are required to provide workers with a safe workplace that does not have any recognized hazards that can lead to serious injuries or death. In particular, exposures to hazards in the oil and gas refinery industry are specifically addressed. Some of the regulations set forth by OSHA are clearly designed to ensure that explosions do not occur at oil refineries, including regulations controlling:

• Flammable liquids
• Storage and handling of petroleum gases
• Air contaminants
• Fire extinguishers and suppression systems
• Oxygen fuel gas welding and cutting regulations
• General training requirements for employees
• Safeguards for personnel protection
• …and more

What if a Safety Violation Caused Your Injury at a Refinery?

In the event a safety violation causes an injury at a refinery, there may be various routes that a worker can take to recover compensation. First, injuries caused by the employee, a coworker, or the employer will likely trigger a workers’ compensation claim. This means that a worker will be able to recover compensation for their injuries through the respective state’s workers’ compensation system for their medical bills, a portion of their lost wages, and possible disability benefit

However, if a safety violation that led to an explosion was caused by a party other than the employer, the injury victim may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit in order to recover additional types of compensation. This can include third parties responsible for maintenance, inspection, and regulation. These personal injury lawsuits could result in a person recovering much more compensation than they would otherwise be able to receive through the state workers’ comp system.

Contact a Refinery Explosion Attorney Today

If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury caused by or finally explosion, you need to speak to a skilled lawyer soon as possible. An experienced oil refinery explosion attorney in Texas will be able to examine the incident, discover any possible safety violations that occurred, and help injury victims recover total compensation for their losses. These cases can become incredibly complicated, particularly when going up against aggressive insurance carriers, employers, and legal teams. Injury victims need to have an advocate who has their best interests in mind. Contact The Doan Law Firm for your free consultation.