As an employee at any plant, refinery, or other industrial worksite, you have the right to expect that your work environment will be reasonably safe. You may work around flammable substances and with heavy machinery, but this is no excuse for industrial accidents and injuries that happen because safety standards are overlooked, workers are not properly trained, or equipment is poorly maintained. Companies like Fluor must focus on worker safety. When they don’t, they should be held accountable.
Find out more about your rights after a construction, refinery, or plant accident by calling (888) 493-1629. Your consultation with a Fluor accident attorney is free and private.
Fluor Incident History
Environmental Violation at the Plutonium Finishing Plant
In 2005, Fluor was fined $206,250 by the U.S. Department of Energy for violations of the department’s nuclear safety requirements. The fine was for a series of violations involving nuclear waste that occurred over a 2-year period between 2003 and 2005 at the Plutonium Finishing Plant in Washington. In its notice to Fluor of the proposed civil penalty, the Department of Energy cited two specific incidents involving low level radioactive exposure of several workers and the airborne release of radiological material at the facility’s K-Basins, which were used to store spent nuclear reactor fuel.
Chemical Plant Explosion in Southern Mexico
In 2016, a Fluor chemical plant in Southern Mexico exploded, claiming 32 lives and injuring 100. The Petroquímica Mexicana de Vinilo explosion occurred because of harmful gases such as chlorine and ethanol leaking from tanks and pipes in the plant. According to a complaint filed survivors and the families of those killed in the explosion, Flour knew the plant was leaking. The company acknowledged the explosion as one of the worst in their company’s history.
Fluor Agrees to $1.1 Million Settlement for False Claims Act Violation
In 2013, Fluor Hanford agreed to pay $1.1 million to the Justice Department to settle allegations that the company had used federal funds to lobby for more government customers, which is a violation of the False Claims Act. According to the Justice Department, Fluor used money that had been allocated to training first responders and law enforcement personnel on homeland security and emergency response measures to lobby for additional funding. The whistleblower who filed the lawsuit, a former Fluor employee, received $200,000 of the settlement.
Free Review of Your Fluor Accident Claim
Industrial injuries are often life changing. Plant explosions, refinery fires, construction accidents, and other incidents can leave workers with debilitating trauma that prevents them from returning to the same occupation or even renders them unable to work at all. Our Fluor accident attorneys are committed to helping injured workers recover the compensation that helps them rebuild after serious burns, spinal cord injuries, amputations, broken bones, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), brain injuries, and more.
This may include damages that cover:
- Medical expenses
- Ongoing therapy or treatment
- Medication and medical supplies
- Lost wages
- Loss of future wages
- Emotional trauma
Take this opportunity to find out what you can do after a serious Fluor accident or injury. Contact Arnold & Itkin today for your free consultation.
