Two workers were killed in an explosion at a Mississippi processing plant on Thursday, August 13, 2020. The explosion occurred at the DAR PRO Solutions located in the Greater Jackson Industrial Park near the town of Byram. The plant has been the subject of three serious violations handed down by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, in recent times. The DAR PRO Solutions facility is a plant that collects and recycles cooking oil and meat byproducts. The output from the plant is used in the manufacture of dog food, according to information provided by the company.
The Mississippi plant explosion occurred without warning in the midst of a shift. The two men who lost their lives in the blast sustained severe thermal burns over a great portion of their bodies. They were taken the burn unit at an area hospital. Within a short time after their admission to the medical center, the workers succumbed to their injuries. Both men were in the 50s and had a great deal of experience in working at the plant.
Plant officials have been extraordinarily tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding the explosion. If a fire occurred as a result of the blast, officials from DAR PRO Solutions have provided no information about it.
Management at the plant did call emergency medical services to assist in transporting the fatally injured men to the hospital. However, plant managers did not call fire fighters to the scene.
Plant management has indicated that they are undertaking what they are calling an “internal investigation” of the explosion. As a result, at this time there is no publicly available information about the underlying cause of the explosion that resulted in two deaths at the DAP PRO plant in Mississippi.
Despite plant management’s decision not to seek immediate assistance from fire fighters, and no official investigation of the explosion has yet to commence, governmental agencies with oversight authority are expected to launch investigations into what occurred. OSHA is expected to be one of the agencies involved in investigating the explosion and events surrounding it.
As mentioned previously, OSHA has cited DAP PRO for three serious violations at the plant more recently. The significant violations at the plant included those for a powered industrial that was out of compliance with OSHA standards. In addition, the plant was cited for violations relating so something referred to as a “mechanical power apparatus.
In addition, OSHA cited DAP PRO for violations related to a defective fixed ladder attached to a plant silo. According to OSHA, the ladder was “not maintained in a safe condition.”
OSHA imposed financial penalties on the company for these serious violations of safety regulations. Because OSHA tends to use a progressive penalty system, if safety violations are found to be associated with the explosion at the Mississippi plant, and due to the deaths of two workers, the penalty apt to be imposed by the agency understandably may be significant.
OSHA does have the legal authority to get into the plant in the aftermath of this explosion for an inspection. OSHA can force this issue, if necessary, before the plant will lawfully be permitted to return to “normal” operations. State and local authorities are also certainly likely to want to commence an investigation of the DAP PRO plant explosion immediately as well.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an industrial explosion, or an explosion of any other type, you need to be proactive in protecting your legal rights. A Doan Law Firm explosion accident lawyer stands ready to provide you with a thorough case evaluation. You can schedule an initial consultation with an explosion accident attorney from our firm any time by calling us at (800) 349-0000. Our explosion accident lawyer hotline is staffed around the clock, 365 days a year, including all major holidays.
A nationwide law firm, we can schedule a consultation with you at anyone of our offices from coast to coast. We can also arrange a virtual appointment with you online. There is never a charge for an initial consultation and case evaluation.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee promise to you. We never charge an attorney fee unless we win for you.