Air Liquide’s capabilities are broad, including:
- Industrial gas production
- Specialty gases and advanced precursor materials
- Gas supply modes, equipment, and management
- Research and development
- Engineering and construction
Unfortunately, with a robust system and industry does not come a robust safety network. Air Liquide’s distribution system has led to devastating accidents and injuries.
If you were harmed in an accident at any Air Liquide facility, you have the right to demand treatment and compensation. Contact our plant explosion attorneys to learn more!
Deadly Explosion at Air Liquide Facility in La Porte, TX
On the morning of February 9, 2013, a fire and explosion occurred at Air Liquide’s Specialty Gas facility in La Porte, Texas. Emergency crews responded quickly, and one worker was flown to a nearby hospital. Another worker was missing for nearly 12 hours before crews found his body at the scene.
Air Liquide Settles Clean Air Act Violation Claims with EPA
On April 29, 2020, Air Liquide and its subsidiary, Airgas, settled claims with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding alleged Clean Air Act violations at four of its facilities: three in the Houston area and one in Freeport, Texas. One was the La Porte plant where the deadly explosion occurred over seven years earlier.
The EPA’s complaint alleged violations such as:
- Failures to submit risk management plans (as required by federal law)
- No proper warning system in place when the air contained unsafe levels of explosive gases
- No alarm before, during, or after the La Porte explosion
- Failures to provide clear instructions on operating equipment that handles methane and hydrogen
Although the companies did not admit fault or liability, Airgas and Air Liquide agreed to pay a $257,000 penalty to the EPA for these alleged violations.
Fatal Nitrous Oxide Explosion at Airgas Facility in Cantonment, FL
On August 28, 2016, a worker was killed in a nitrous oxide explosion at an Airgas facility in Cantonment, Florida. The incident occurred at about noon, at the plant’s nitrous oxide loading area. Two of the six trailers parked in the area were involved in the explosion. The blast scattered metal fragments of equipment and other debris hundreds of feet around, rendering the facility inoperable and killing the only worker who was on-site at the time.
A report by the Consumer Safety Board on this explosion attributed the incident to a combination of two likely factors: a near-empty trailer and a pump malfunction. When a vessel containing nitrous oxide is nearly empty, it is at a higher risk of exploding. One of the trailers that exploded was nearly empty. It is thought that, when the worker started the pump to fill the trailer, it ran dry during start-up and generated enough heat to cause the explosion.
Contact an Air Liquide Claim Lawyer
The employees, contractors, and subcontractors at Air Liquide and Airgas facilities across the U.S. are at risk of catastrophic injury or death when safety standards are not observed to the letter. At Arnold & Itkin, our plant and refinery accident attorneys are committed to representing injured workers and families who have lost loved ones in preventable fires, explosions, and other incidents at industrial worksites.
These cases are complex and we must face off against corporations that make billions every year. Our opponents have teams of attorneys and investigators who will work to counter our clients’ claims. Fortunately, we won’t be outworked, even if we’re outnumbered. We have the resources and willpower to persevere and find answers for those who have been harmed in Air Liquide accidents.
Learn how we can help you by calling (888) 493-1629 or contacting our Air Liquide claim attorneys online.
