Refining oil is a dangerous line of work involving volatile chemicals under high pressure at searing temperatures. When properly maintained, an oil refinery is generally a safe place for workers and nearby residents. However, some oil companies, either by negligence or cost-cutting measures, operate facilities that are not safe environments for an already dangerous business. The dangers are myriad: falls, explosions, burns, toxic chemical exposures are just a few of the common personal injuries caused by oil companies who put lives at risk.
Consider some of these facts (from RefineryForum.org):
- For years, a vast majority of the nation's refineries have evaded regulatory scrutiny, including compliance with basic provisions of the Clean Air Act.
- Many refineries are concentrated in heavily populated urban areas and disproportionately impact low-income and minority communities.
- Refineries are the nation's major source of tons of toxic volatile organic compounds, like cancer-causing benzene, and chemicals which cause asthma and childhood development problems.
- Most refinery toxic air pollution is from product leaks in equipment not smokestacks. Technology to prevent these leaks has been widely available for decades, but oil companies refuse to invest in cleaner technologies.
- Refineries are also a source of large chemical releases during fires, explosions, upsets and spills. During these accidents, many thousands of pounds of dangerous chemicals can be released in a short period of time. These dangerous spills often dump chemicals into the communities around refineries causing health problems.
If you or a member of your family has been injured in an accident or chemical exposure at an oil refinery, offshore oil rig, or other oil industry location, you may be eligible for recovery of damages.
If you believe you may have an oil refinery injury case, contact us today for more information.
