Available 24/7/365
Free Consultations
(800) 349-0000
At the Phillips 66 Sweeny Refinery & Petrochemical Complex in Old Ocean, Texas, employees face risks of chemical burns, toxic vapor inhalation, blunt-force trauma, and other types of industrial injuries. Such injuries could occur due to flash fires, equipment malfunctions, and gas exposures.
Multiple industrial injuries have been reported at Phillips refineries and chemical plants. Below are details about some of the accidents that have occurred at these facilities and how these incidents affected those involved. Our Houston-based refinery accident attorney is ready to help if you’ve been harmed in a preventable incident.
On March 27, 2000, an explosion took place at the Phillips chemical plant in Pasadena, Texas, according to Plastics News. Approximately 600 employees were working at the plant when the incident happened.
Rodney Gott, a maintenance supervisor at the plant, was killed in the explosion, Plastics News reported. Many employees were unharmed, but 33 people were treated for burns and blunt-force trauma. At least four employees remained hospitalized after the incident, and each was in critical but stable condition and suffered from severe burns.
Previously, on June 23, 1999, 21 employees were involved in an explosion at Phillips’s Pasadena chemical plant, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported. The incident occurred in the morning as a plant reactor was being brought into batch service following a period of downtime for cleaning and servicing.
Two employees, 24-year-old Juan Martinez and his uncle Jose Inez Rangel, were killed during the explosion. At least two other employees suffered burns and required hospitalization. The remaining employees involved in the incident were treated but not hospitalized.
On October 23, 1989, 23 people died and 130 were injured in multiple explosions caused by an ethylene leak at Phillips’s chemical plant in Pasadena, per History.
Following the explosions, an investigation revealed that OSHA had cited Phillips for various safety violations over the years, but the company had not done a comprehensive inspection of its plant since 1975.
Additionally, other testimony showed that plant personnel didn’t follow proper safety procedures during maintenance, which left the facility susceptible to disaster.
If you work at Phillips 66 Company Sweeny or another Phillips facility and notice safety issues, report them immediately. As the above accidents show, if safety problems are left unreported, they can cause serious harm.
Notify your manager or supervisor about any work hazards that could contribute to chemical explosions or other workplace incidents. You can also file a complaint with OSHA, which could prompt a safety investigation.
If you suffer an industrial injury at work, get medical attention immediately and continue to receive care for it for as long as necessary. Outside of this, report your injury to your manager or supervisor, and keep documentation relating to the harm that you’ve suffered. The documentation that you get may be useful if you proceed with a claim or lawsuit against your employer.
Lastly, if you want to file an industrial accident or injury claim or lawsuit, get legal help. Consult with an explosion lawyer, as they can explain your legal options. If warranted, your attorney can help you pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.