In a recent post we discussed an explosion at a Caterpillar plant that seriously injured a worker. Unfortunately, a similar catastrophe has occurred at another Illinois factory, injuring three workers this time. The workers in the more recent accidents may face the same struggles, both in their physical recovery from burn injuries and their attempts to gain compensation for the costs associated with those injuries.
The latest explosion happened Wednesday last week at a paint factory in Cary, about 45 miles northwest of Chicago. The incident, which was actually a series of explosions, caused serious burn injuries to three workers. About 25 workers were said to be in the building at the time.
City police and fire officials launched an immediate investigation into the cause of the accident, which could be released soon. But the Occupational Health and Safety Administration is conducting its own investigation to determine whether the explosions were the result of any health or safety violations, which could have an effect on any workers’ compensation claims the injured employees might file. Because OSHA has up to six months to complete its inspection, the workers and their families may not know for quite some time whether they suffered to due to negligence on their employer’s part.
If OSHA finds that workplace violations occurred at the plant, it won’t be the first time. A 1995 explosion also severely burned three workers, and as a result the company was fined $7,000. The employees injured in the more recent accident may want to raise this issue as they pursue workers’ compensation, particularly if they end up filing a civil lawsuit against the company. When it comes to seeking the money that employees need to cover medical bills and lost wages, the more information that they and their attorneys have, the better.
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