Fertilizer plans pose a high risk of accidents and injuries. The ingredients used to make some types of fertilizers are caustic and could cause burns and respiratory injuries with exposure. Some, including ammonium nitrate, are also volatile and could catch fire or explode.
For this reason, these plants should follow stringent safety regulations and undergo regular inspections. However, this is not always enough to prevent deadly explosions and chemical fires.
If you suffered injuries in a Louisiana fertilizer plant accident, a Lafayette personal injury lawyer can assess your case and determine your legal options for getting justice. You should not have to pay for your care costs and other damages on your own.
Common Types of Fertilizer Plant Accidents
The ingredients used to make fertilizer are often highly volatile. They could include methane and hydrogen, which are used in ammonium nitrate fertilizers. Ammonia exposure can cause serious injuries, including throat irritation, pulmonary edema, burns, and other symptoms.
At the same time, ammonium nitrate itself is extremely volatile and can catch fire or explode under certain circumstances. This is the most common type of serious accident at a fertilizer plant. Proper monitoring and required safeguards should prevent these explosions, but these rules are not always followed.
Plant owners have a duty to prevent both workplace injuries and injuries to others nearby under the applicable premises liability laws. However, failures in the systems designed to keep everyone safe allow for exposure to toxic chemicals, fires, serious burn injuries, and massive explosions.
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Common Injuries at Fertilizer Plants
A wide range of injuries, including blast injuries, can occur when an industrial disaster happens. Most of the most serious injuries focus on skin burns, respiratory burns, and other inhalation injuries. However, many other injuries are possible.
For example, a study published in Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness looked at injuries sustained in a 2013 fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, and found injuries that included:
- Abrasions and contusions
- Lacerations and penetrating trauma
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Tinnitus and other hearing problems
- Eye injuries
- Inhalational injuries
In all, the study identified 252 injuries and 15 fatalities. About a quarter of the patients who required medical care were hospitalized. Of note, those who were in the factory or were closer to the explosion were much more likely to be admitted for care than those who were further away.
Unfortunately, not all victims of fertilizer plant explosions survive. Those working closest to the explosion and others nearby often die instantly, while others pass away from serious burns and other injuries later. A wrongful death action may be necessary to hold the at-fault parties responsible for the victim’s fatal injuries.
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Fertilizer Plants and Accidents in Louisiana
According to The Fertilizer Institute, there are several fertilizer plants in production in Louisiana. Those that produce nitrogen-based fertilizers include:
- CF Industries in Donaldsonville
- PCS Nitrogen Fertilizer, L.P. in Geismar
- The Mosaic Company in Faustina
In addition, several produce phosphate-based fertilizers or both nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers. The phosphate fertilizer plants include:
- Innophos in Geismar
- PCS Nitrogen Fertilizer, L.P. – Geismar
- The Mosaic Company in Faustina
- The Mosaic Company in Uncle Sam
With so many fertilizer plants working with these volatile chemicals and producing fertilizer, it is no surprise that Louisiana has a history of fertilizer plant explosions.
IMC Fertilizer, Inc., (IMCF)/Angus Chemical Company, 1991
On May 1, 1991, a significant explosion occurred at Angus Chemical Company. This Sterlington factory was adjacent to the IMCF plant and owned by the fertilizer company. According to the official report of the incident from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a fire occurred in the waste gas vent compressor at the chemical plant.
This fire caused a series of explosions that destroyed the building and sent large pieces of debris to the north and east. Some 150-pound sections were found almost a mile away. The injured and deaths included:
- Eight killed, all IMCF workers
- 42 workers injured
- Around 70 local residents suffered injuries
The explosion required officials to temporarily evacuate the town of 1,500 residents. Many homes and businesses suffered significant damage.
CF Industries, 2013
On June 14, 2013, one person died, and eight other workers suffered injuries in an explosion at a Donaldsonville fertilizer plant. Two of the workers injured required airlift evacuation to a trauma center from the scene.
The CF Industries plant accident occurred after the rupture of an over-filled nitrogen container as workers unloaded it from a truck.
According to NBC News reports, an explosion and fire killed three people and caused injury to others at the same plant in 2000.
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What Should I Do After a Louisiana Fertilizer Plant Accident Injury?
If you were injured or a loved one died in a Louisiana fertilizer plant explosion, our attorneys are here to help. We can handle your workplace injury case or pursue cases for those who were living or working nearby and hurt.
We know the types of injuries that occur in these explosions and how to recover fair compensation for our clients based on them. This includes current and future medical treatment, long-term care, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
Our team understands how catastrophic these injuries can be. We only have a year to sue in these cases under CC Art. 3492, so it is important to act quickly and enlist our help. With our team on your side, you can focus on your treatment and recovery while we handle your legal case.
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Discuss Your Fertilizer Plant Accident Injuries With an Attorney for Free
Laborde Earles provides free case consultations for those hurt in fertilizer plant explosions, fires, and other incidents. We can help you understand your rights and legal opinions. Our recent verdicts and settlements include a $42 million recovery for a burn victim hurt in a plant explosion. We may help with your fertilizer plant accident and injuries, too.
Contact us today to learn more about your case.
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