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Plant explosions may seem like they happen out of the blue, but there is always an underlying reason. Usually that reason can be traced back to a safety protocol that wasn’t followed. When an explosion happens, investigators must determine whether or not the problem was caused by the worker or by some other party. The results of the investigation weigh heavily on how much compensation an injured worker can get.

Take this recent explosion that happened at a biodiesel plant in Illinois. A flash fire happened at the top of a tank at Midwest Biodiesel Products LLC. Workers were doing welding repairs on top of 50 ft. tanks when ethanol in the tank exploded. According to the fire chief, the tanks were mostly filled with water with a small amount of ethanol residue at the top. The sparks from the welders ignited this.

This isn’t the first time that the fire department has had to respond to a fire at this particular plant, though the fire chief says that they pass their inspections and audits. The boom from the explosion was felt and heard from the next business over. 911 was called, but there was no means for employees to help put out the fire except for a small fire extinguisher. Luckily for the injured workers, none of the injuries they sustained were life threatening, though one worker did have multiple lacerations.

Even if a company does things by the book, accidents can still happen. One careless error can cause injury or death. When a workplace injury occurs, it’s important to get legal advice on what to do next. If you’ve been injured on the job, first report your injury in detail to your supervisor and get treatment. If your workers compensation will not pay out what is appropriate to cover your bills, call the law offices of Doyle Dennis Avery LLP .