Louisiana Workers Suffer Airway Burn Injuries at Baton Rouge Chemical Plant after Ammonia Gas Leak

Most Louisiana workers do not expect when they go to work every day that they may be involved in a workplace accident that could seriously injure them, maybe even permanently impair them, or possibly kill them. Indeed, even in jobs where there is a litany of workplace hazards, most Mississippi workers do not step foot on the job thinking that it may be their last day of work. However, the truth is that workplace accidents that result in serious injuries happen in Mississippi far more often than they should, and many Mississippi workers are at risk of being involved in a workplace accident every day that they clock in to work. A recent incident at a Baton Rouge chemical plant that left four workers seriously injured demonstrates this point, and raises questions about what injured workers in Mississippi can do if they are injured on the job.

According to local news reports, several weeks ago, in early October, four workers who were working at a Baton Rouge chemical plant were seriously injured when a storage cylinder broke, causing a release of toxic ammonia gas into the plant. The extremely dangerous industrial accident occurred at the Formosa Plastics’ chemical plant complex, which is located on Scenic Highway in Baton Rouge at around 8:40 p.m. in the evening. Four workers were injured by inhaling the toxic ammonia fumes. Ammonia, while occurring naturally in the environment in low amounts, can be extremely dangerous to humans in concentrated quantities, and “can be a caustic hazard when it hits the moisture of the eyes, skin, and upper respiratory tract.” Accordingly, two of the four workers who were injured by the ammonia exposure were, unfortunately, critically injured. Although an estimate of how much ammonia was actually leaked in the air in the industrial accident, Baton Rouge Fire Department officials indicated that they believed the broken cylinder could hold 150 pounds of ammonia, and that likely the gas had dissipated and was no longer a threat to the public. The scary workplace incident is still under investigation.

Louisiana Workers Should Know Their Rights under Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Laws 

In light of the dangerous and very serious workplace accident that occurred at the Formosa Plastics plant in Baton Rouge, it is important for Louisiana workers to know about their rights and options under Louisiana workers’ compensation laws. Under Louisiana workers’ compensation laws, most Louisiana workers who are injured on the job and who are unable to work as a result are entitled to money compensation. In order to determine whether you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits in Louisiana, it is best to speak with an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible after a serious workplace accident occurs.

The experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at the law firm Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC are here to help Louisiana workers with their workers’ compensation claims. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC today and speak to an experienced lawyer about your case.

Source:

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