How Common are Industrial Accidents in Texas?

Industrial accidents can affect not only the employees working at a plant, but also the residents in the surrounding areas. These accidents can cause burns, lung damage, and brain injuries to anyone who comes into contact. In Texas where chemical plants are common, these accidents are particularly frequent.

Learn more about exactly how common and devestating industrial accidents are in Texas from your Houston accident attorneys .

Texas Workplace Injuries

Everything is bigger in Texas; unfortunately, that includes the number of workplace injuries and fatalities each year. According to the Texas Department of Workers Compensation, in 2018, a Texas worker died on the job every 16 hours. In that same year, private employers reported 177,977 non-fatal workplace injuries and ilnesses.

Because industrial workers are surrounded by large equipment and potentially harmful chemicals each day, the chances for injuries and fatalities are great. With chemical explosions being more common in Texas, employees may face a greater risk of being harmed while on the job if proper safety protocols are not put in place.

Chemical Explosions in Texas

Unfortunately, chemical explosions are not a rare occurence for Texas residents. According to the American Chemistry Council , Texas chemical production is the largest in the nation with chemical shipments of $117.5 billion in 2020.

Because Texas is a major contributor to the chemical production of the nation, plants are common throughout the state. Although plant explosions are more frequent in certain areas, they can affect residents throughout much of Texas. To give a more clear picture of how common chemical explosions are in Texas, here are a few statistics and examples:

In 2016, the Houston Chronicle conducted an investigation and found that plant explosions and fires happen about every six weeks in the Houston area.
On April 2, 2019, a fatal fire and explosion at a chemical processing and manufacturing facility in Crosby, TX resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries.
On March 17, 2019, a tank fire at a facility in Deer Park, TX resulted in an extensive amount of air pollution and thousands of gallons of hazardous waste being dumped into nearby groundwater.
On July 17, 2021, a chemical release in LaPorte, TX resulted in two fatalities and at least 30 injuries because of 100,000 pounds of acetic acid being released.

Shockingly, these statistics are only from some of the worst plant accidents in Texas. They don’t even begin to scratch the surface on all of the other accidents that happen each year.

While industiral accidents happen often, they can be prevented by better employee training and equipment maintenance. Employers at chemical plants have a responsibility to protect their employees and nearby residents by ensuring that employee mistakes and equipment defects don’t happen.

Seek Compensation From Your Industrial Accident With Help From Lapeze & Johns

Because of the massive chemical and manufacturing industry in Texas, it’s especially important that residents in this state have access to an experienced attorney in case they’re ever effected or injured by an industrial accident. These accidents can have widespread effects, and those impacted may be facing an uphill battle to get financial relief.

Luckily, you don’t have to handle everything on your own. The compassionate insutrial accident attorneys at Lapeze & Johns, PLLC, can hold the negligent party responsible for your injuries and get you the compensation you deserve.