Workplace accidents can happen when you might least expect them. This is what recently happened to one worker at a plant in North Carolina. One minute, he was doing his job and, a short time later, a flash fire broke out in the plant involving flammable chemicals. The worker died in the hospital while being treated for the serious injuries he suffered from this fire.
The fire was put out around 10 minutes after firefighters arrived at the scene. No other injuries were reported and the fire posed no environmental dangers, according to a safety official familiar with the incident. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation and no conclusions have been drawn yet.
In serious workplace accidents, workers injured on the job, especially those exposed to chemicals and at risk of toxic exposure, can face lasting challenges to their quality of life.
Industrial accidents can often put workers in jeopardy, threatening to leave them with severe burns, acute pains, and even fatal injuries. As a result, workers may be unable to fulfill the duties of their present jobs, unable to work as they are healing from injuries, and unable to provide for their families.
Accidents can and do happen, but risks can often be lessened in the workplace with the proper training and safety precautions in place. Employers should ensure safe conditions for their workers, as well as proper training and equipment. However, whether an accident was caused by negligence, unsafe conditions or simply a fluke, injured workers may have options to pursue compensation. An experienced Charlotte work injury lawyer may be able to assist you if you or a loved one was injured or killed in a workplace accident.
Source: The Greensboro News & Record, “Update: Police identify victim in fatal fire at paint plant,” Joe Gamm, April 4, 2014