Chicago Workers' Compensation Attorney Blog

When an Illinois company knowingly releases catastrophic amounts of hazardous chemicals or toxins in the workplace, workers' safety could be compromised. Those releases could result in explosions or other incidents that put workers at risk. Unfortunately, in far too many cases, when workers are exposed they may suffer irreversible health conditions from a work-related accident in Illinois or elsewhere that can have a long-term effect on their quality of life or maybe even shorten their life span.

Cook County workers' compensation attorneys have seen the effects of people injured on the job. That is why we fight hard to protect injured workers' rights and advise them about any compensation that they may be entitled to for medical bills and other costs. Employers who put their workers at risk of serious health conditions must be held accountable for not making sure work environments are operating under applicable laws.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced a new National Emphasis Program (NEP) that will protect workers from highly hazardous chemicals being released at chemical facilities. It is replacing the pilot program that was initiated back in 2009 as a result of OSHA inspectors finding that there are far too many workers being killed or injured in chemical facilities nationwide.

Maybe it helps to understand the dangers that workers face at chemical facilities. According to Chemical Plant Safety, workers are exposed to all kinds of hazardous substances at these types of facilities, especially when spillage occurs. Acids, highly flammable liquids, reactive substances, toxic chemicals and oxidizing agents are just a few of the hazardous chemicals that can spill in or from a storage tank, warehouse, lab, production site or even during transportation of the hazardous wastes.

When chemical spills occur, workers or environments are exposed to:

-Toxic atmospheres that can be breathed in and cause severe internal injuries or health conditions.

-Fire and explosions. Flammable vapor ignites quickly causing a severe risk of burn injuries and smoke inhalation. Burns can also be caused by corrosive liquids that spill onto the floor or other surfaces.

-Contamination of the environment, which includes air, water or soil.

-Spilled chemicals that come into contact with incompatible materials can cause a reaction and generate other toxic gases or chemicals.

The new National Emphasis Program will allow OSHA inspectors across the country to visit chemical facilities to make sure necessary precautions are being taken to reduce chemical spills. Workers must be protected according to standards set forth by OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) policies and procedures.

During random inspections at facilities, inspectors will ask detailed questions to gather information related to PSM requirements. They will also verify that an employer's implemented PSM program is consistent with their intended written PSM program.

The only way to limit employee exposure to a hazardous substance at a chemical facility is to get away from the honor system and have OSHA inspectors keep facilities operating under federal regulations with random in-person visits. Protecting employees from releases of hazardous chemicals can prevent life-changing consequences that injured workers may face.