The widow of a man who was killed in an explosion at the Canastota Wastewater Treatment Plant last September is filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the construction company responsible.
The victim had been welding a pipe in the methane gas dome at the plant when an explosion occurred. The employee suffered third-degree burns over most of his body and died after three days in the hospital. Another employee also received burns to the arms and face, but was released from the hospital the next day.
In February of this year, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported that serious workplace safety violations led to the explosion. Additionally, OSHA issued seven citations against the construction company responsible and proposed $45,720 in fines.
"This tragedy could have been prevented had basic safety precautions been implemented," OSHA's area director in Syracuse, Christopher Adams, said in a statement at the time of the explosion. "Confined spaces and hazardous atmospheres pose dangerous risks to workers. Employers must provide the equipment and safeguards that prevent workers from getting hurt."
OSHA reported that the two employees involved in the project were not provided with a meter to test the site for combustible gas, and the workspace did not allow for emergency escape.
The lawsuit claims that the construction company failed to establish an adequate ventilation system for the dome, leading to the fatal explosion.
If your family has experienced the wrongful death or injury of a loved one in the workplace, you can turn to a Kansas City attorney to find the most qualified and experienced accident attorney to help. The Meyers Law Firm recognizes the importance of making sure workplace tragedies that occur out of neglect never happen twice.