The risk of an explosion in an industrial setting is a leading safety hazard. The presence of volatile chemicals, dust, fuel and flammable accelerants, limited air circulation and equipment that may generate sparks can lead to devastating explosions. Workers are at risk of death, thermal burns, percussive injuries, lung damage, eye damage, and injuries caused by flying debris. While many workers are aware of the risk of explosions, they may not know about the truly hazardous risk of secondary explosions.
Explosions could occur due to fuel leaks or the improper mixing of chemicals. Primary or secondary explosions may occur without much warning. When there are inadequate safety protocols, an employer may fail to warn nearby workers of those risks. There can also be an elevated risk of a secondary explosion after an initial explosion. A failure to take necessary safety precautions, such as increasing ventilation in the space, and avoiding sparks, static electricity, and open flame are all factors that lead to these events. This may result in disaster when chemicals or dust particles released from the primary explosion cause an initial or secondary explosion.
Primary and secondary explosions can be devastating
Just as a primary explosion can cause death, chemical exposure, burns, brain injuries related to percussive force, smoke inhalation, and a host of different traumatic injuries, secondary explosions can cause the same severe physical trauma. Workers who may not have even been present at the time of an initial explosion may end up seriously injured or possibly even killed due to the secondary explosion that occurs.
Injured workers often file workers’ compensation claims, but the partial wage replacement provided by workers’ compensation may fall far short of the long-term implications of explosion injuries or fatalities. A wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit may help those affected by these explosions more effectively to recoup their losses.
Who is potentially liable for primary and secondary explosions?
In scenarios where equipment defects may have caused the primary or secondary explosion, the workers hurt on the job or the surviving family members of employees who died may have grounds for a third-party liability lawsuit. Manufacturers may be liable for releasing unsafe products that contributed to industrial explosions, or the owners of the premises or facility may have liability. Similarly, if an outside company that provides services or equipment maintenance made a mistake that led to an explosion, which in turn triggered a secondary explosion, the workers or families affected may have grounds to hold that outside company responsible. Commercial landlords, contractors hired to maintain the facilities and even utility companies could also be partially liable for both primary and secondary industrial explosions.
While employees and their families typically cannot sue employers for job-related injuries, lawsuits against third parties could be a viable option after explosions cause life-altering injuries. Reviewing the circumstances surrounding an industrial or other explosion with a skilled legal team can help affected parties evaluate their options for economic support after a workplace incident causes catastrophic or fatal injuries.