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Are you in dire need of a lawyer because you were badly burned in a fire or explosion or because a loved one was killed due to the carelessness of another? Warrior Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC is a dedicated personal injury attorneys firm that will fight for your right to financial compensation after an accident.
To book a free consultation to explore any potential financial recovery and to guarantee justice is served, please call our Colorado Springs fire attorneys at 719-300-1100 or fill out the contact form on this page. We guarantee that any communication between you and our legal firm will be strictly confidential.
Explosion and fire deaths rank among the worst possible outcomes of an unfortunate event. Pain and suffocation are possible outcomes of exposure to high temperatures and flames. Pain, disfigurement, scarring, and chronic disability are common outcomes for survivors of catastrophic fires.
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ASSESSING THE DANGER OF AN EXPLOSION
Welding, metalworking, and working with explosives are all dangerous professions because they put workers close to combustible materials. For example, workers in the maritime and construction industries are frequently exposed to typical hazards on the job.
An industrial fire explosion can be caused by various factors, including accidents, equipment sparks, lightning strikes, and intentional acts of destruction. Explosive or combustible goods, such as chemicals, gas tanks, or fertilizer, could be set off by even a little fire.
Fires generated by even a little explosion could result in serious injuries, such as internal bleeding, third-degree burns, and traumatic brain damage from the explosion’s impact.
Those who survive often have trouble breathing for the rest of their lives. The aftermath of a fire can have a significant psychological impact on survivors and a lasting financial impact on their families.
FIRE IN A CAR
Common causes of fires in vehicles include faulty machinery, a lack of upkeep, an excess electrical load, or a wire short that produces a spark that ignites combustible materials. After extensive research, we know that a vehicle fire may produce temperatures up to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit and can radiate heat for more than 10 feet.
A fire in a car can release deadly volumes of carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas, as a result of the combustion of synthetic materials, says the US Fire Administration under FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
According to data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),
- About 10% of all fire deaths occur in motor vehicles.
- There were car fires in about 14% of all fires.
- About 700 individuals each year are killed, and over 1200 are injured due to car fires.
- About 4% of all firefighter injuries occur in vehicle fires.
When exposed to high temperatures, numerous car components can spontaneously combust, sending flaming fragments flying several feet away from the smouldering wreckage. Magnesium wheels, two-piece tire rims, hatchback door struts, bumpers, grease seals, engine parts, axles, and driveshafts are all potential sources of chemicals, poisons, and shrapnel in the event of an explosion.
It is extremely unlikely that a car’s gas tank may burst, but if it does, the resulting release of highly flammable fuel could have devastating consequences for anyone within. When fighting car fires, firefighters must wear full protective apparel and use equipment that is also fire resistant.
Vehicle fires often require enormous quantities of water and special firefighting products.
IN-HOME INCIDENTS
If a fire starts in the home and spreads, it can be over in two minutes, leaving the occupants with only a limited window of opportunity to flee the raging blaze. Smoke detectors, which are required by law in all homes to reduce the number of fire-related injuries and fatalities each year, save many lives.
Some homes have sprinklers built in the ceiling that is tripped when the temperature reaches 700 degrees, spraying water in the affected area to put out the fire and prevent further damage.
The National Fire Protection Association advises everyone in a home to install carbon monoxide detectors in case of a leak or leaks from a connected garage. Carbon monoxide is called the “invisible killer” because it is odourless, tasteless, and non-irritating.
Life and property can be saved with the help of portable fire extinguishers. Even if it doesn’t completely put out a minor fire, an extinguisher can keep the flames under control until help arrives.
A COMPANY’S OBLIGATION TO WATCH OVER ITS WORKFORCE
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) mandates that all workplaces, even those dealing with combustible or explosive products, must provide a safe workplace for their employees. If an employee is working in a hazardous environment, their employer must provide them with the necessary training, safety equipment, and protective clothing.
Employees need to be trained to recognize and prevent situations that could result in a catastrophic fire or explosion in the workplace.
Possible sources of ignition are:
Equipment made from aluminium, such as gangways, scaffolding, and ladders, can leave a combustible residue if dragged across a metal or steel surface.
Rusted metals are especially dangerous because they can easily spark when touched against steel.
Clothing and footwear: an electrostatic discharge could start a fire if you wear improper clothes to work. It is the responsibility of employers to provide their employees with anti-electrostatic footwear and garments.
Moving objects: A ladder or other piece of equipment constructed of an explosive substance could readily catch fire if a spark travelled down the steel surface on which it was being moved.
REASONS FOR WORKPLACE BURNS AND BOMBINGS
Workplace catastrophes can result in life-altering injuries, such as serious burns, scarring, or disfigurement, from which the victim may not fully recover for years.
Every business should ensure their workers know what to do in the event of a fire or explosion to prevent injuries like traumatic brain damage, spinal cord damage, burns, and lacerations from flying shrapnel.
Explosions and fires can result from an overloaded circuit, outlet, extension cord, or wiring that is left exposed to the elements. Accidents involving electrical explosions can occur if workers fail to properly manage circuits and electrical equipment, including switching it off frequently when not in use, grounding it during installation, and effectively managing circuits and electrical equipment when anti-static procedures are required.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration warns that electrical explosions can cause severe burns, including third-degree burns. As of this year, there have been 300 fatalities and 500 injuries attributed to electrical hazards in the workplace.
Any combustible liquid or flammable gas, if ignited, can spread swiftly and cause serious injury or death and extensive property damage. Liquids allowed to flow over an open flame threaten nearby combustibles such as textiles, wood, and paper in the workplace.
Gas explosions can result in a wide range of negative health effects, including but not limited to: trouble breathing, scorched lung tissue, nausea, drowsiness, and more. There were 454 deaths and 3,910 serious injuries due to fires using combustibles or flammable liquids in the workplace in 2017, according to OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration).
In many cases, the spark that sets off a devastating explosion in an industrial plant can be traced back to a spark that occurred when workers were in the vicinity of combustible dust condensers. When dust clouds build, the presence of combustible particles in the air can cause secondary explosions with potentially catastrophic results.
OSHA mandates that businesses implement measures to prevent the accumulation of flammable dust to unsafe levels, protecting workers from potential danger. Employers must enforce Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety procedures to prevent a disastrous fire explosion caused by flammable dust.
TISSUE DAMAGE FROM AN EXPLOSION
Many people, including military personnel, are at risk of a terrorist attack, as reported by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Medical professionals who treat victims of bomb blasts should be experts in the physiology and pathology of blast injuries.
- Blast injuries account for nearly all deaths from the terrorist attack explosion.
- Most early survivors of a bomb explosion with piercing and brutal wounds die from blast lungs.
- Tragic explosions or fires may result in fatal burn injuries.
- Explosions in confined places, such as huge cars, buildings, mines, or structural collapses, cause greater injuries and deaths.
- Casualties from the bombing, roughly half of whom sought medical attention within the first hour,
An explosion in conflict can cause injuries with uncommon patterns, leaving the victim with life-threatening illnesses throughout many body systems.
Outside of the military, very few medical personnel have the depth of experience necessary to treat a burn caused by an explosive device.
STOPPING BURNING AND BOMBING
Every business’s responsibility is to provide its workers with appropriate fire safety training, but this is especially true for those in factories and warehouses. Many government authorities have strengthened industrial fire protection requirements to guarantee that businesses are using the best methods to keep their employees safe.
Sparks can come from various places, including explosive dust, heated work, flammable materials, faulty equipment, and electrical risks, and can quickly spread into a fire or explosion. Among these threats are:
IGNITABLE DUST
Fires, blazes, and explosions in factories, warehouses, and other industrial facilities (such as chemical plants and food processing facilities) continue to be largely caused by combustible dust.
The combination of combustible particles from dirt, paper, metal, or wood with oxygen and an ignited source poses a fire or explosion hazard.
Dust can spread rapidly inside a closed space, increasing the risk of a catastrophic or a secondary explosion that could be much more lethal.
STEEP DEGREE LABOR
Torch cutting, welding, brazing, soldering, heating, and burning are all examples of “hot work” in many industries. The high temperatures that most molten materials reach—often well over a thousand degrees Fahrenheit—make them extremely flammable and susceptible to spontaneous ignition.
CONTENTS THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE
Many chemical plants and enterprises that employ crude oil, acrylic acid, and fuel have had fires and explosions due to combustible gases and liquids ignition. A catastrophic fire and explosion might result when an electrical plug ignites combustible materials.
Machinery and tools that aren’t working properly
In the event of a malfunction, machinery utilized for performing tasks requiring high temperatures or heating items poses a significant risk of starting an industrial fire. Many factory and chemical plant fires and explosions are easily avoidable because of faulty furnaces.
Failure to properly install, operate, and maintain equipment creates a substantial danger that compromises fire safety in industrial settings.
When flammable dust is in the air, a spark from faulty equipment or machinery with moving parts could trigger a fire or explosion.
SEVERE RISKS FROM ELECTRICAL SOURCES
Explosions and fires can be caused by sparks from exposed wiring, heated extension cords, overloaded circuits/outlets, static discharge, and faulty wiring. If flammable objects are close and an electrical source causes dust to ignite, the results could be disastrous.
To guarantee that all machinery operates effectively and correctly, OSHA requires all employers to undertake routine inspections of the facility and equipment. Lubricating all mechanics and moving parts regularly will reduce the risk of fires caused by friction.
INJURIES RELATED TO FIRE AND EXPLOSIONS
A fire or explosion in a factory or building site can cause catastrophic injuries, leaving the person in constant pain for years.
Many victims suffer temporary or permanent injuries as a result of the fire, smoke, and toxic chemicals they were exposed to, requiring them to undergo years of medical care, rehabilitation, several surgeries, and therapy.
Injuries resulting from flames and explosions typically include:
- Asphyxiation
- Burns
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Lung injury
- Taking in a lot of smoke
- Accidental fatality
Victims often endure years of mental anguish and financial hardship after being disabled and unable to work due to their injuries.
COST TO INSURANCE COMPANIES FROM INDUSTRIAL FLAMEOUTS AND BOMBINGS
Damages from workplace fires and explosions cost billions annually. According to OSHA records, about 37,000 fires occurred in workplaces in 2017; these blazes resulted in 279 injuries and 18 deaths.
Accidents involving electrical dangers, flammable gases and liquids, and combustible dust caused more than $1 billion in direct costs due to injuries, deaths, and property damage. More than 450 people lost their lives, and almost 4,000 were injured, leading to insurance payouts totalling more than $1.5 million for direct property damage settlements in 2017.
FIRE AND EXPLOSION SCENE IN THE INDUSTRIAL ARENA
An accident involving a fire or explosion can have disastrous results, including serious injuries and even fatalities, for the workers involved. Exploding gases, solids, liquids, and dust have all been factors in recent fires and explosions across many industries. Among them are some examples:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES
We at the Colorado Springs fire accident law office understand that many families have concerns about workplace safety and don’t know what to do during a devastating fire. A personal injury lawyer has addressed these questions.
Consult with a Colorado Springs personal injury attorney for free by calling our toll-free number, 719-300-1100.
IN WHAT WAYS DO EXPLOSIONS DIFFER FROM FIRE?
When combustible materials like wood, dust, metal, or chemicals are burned, they produce light by rapidly devouring oxygen. The quick expansion of energy causes the explosion, which then causes the shockwave.
Traumatic burn injuries sustained in explosion disasters can be severe and even fatal.
WHY DOES THE FIRE EXPLODE?
When explosive material comes into contact with a spark from hot work (welding, soldering, etc.), the result can be an explosion. The explosion caused by the chain reaction can send shockwaves through the air, potentially causing severe trauma to everyone in its path.
EXPLAIN THE DANGERS OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION.
The improper management of any potentially harmful substance utilized or present in the workplace could result in catastrophic injury or death due to an explosion. Catastrophic explosions can be caused by many explosive atmospheres, such as combustible dust and flammable vapours, mists, or gases.
Almost all workplace explosions can be avoided if management practices and emphasizes safety. Any workplace fire or explosion can have devastating consequences for employees, customers, and the local community.
THE FOUR DIFFERENT KINDS OF FIRE ARE:
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) divides firemen into five groups based on their classifications.
Class A Solid combustible materials such as cotton, paper, wood, etc.
Class B includes combustible liquids like oil, fuel, and gasoline.
Class C Involvement of Flammable Gases
Class D Flammable metals that burn at very high temperatures fall under
Class E Requires the use of an electrical device.
IF YOU WERE INJURED IN AN EXPLOSION IN COLORADO SPRINGS, YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH A LAWYER ABOUT FILING A COMPENSATION CLAIM.
Have you suffered serious injuries in a workplace or car fire, or has someone you love been killed due to someone else’s carelessness?
If you’ve been injured in Colorado Springs, let the lawyers at Warrior Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC fight for you in court to get the compensation you need.
As a legal team, we know that not every family has the financial means to retain an attorney. Because of this, we only take cases that we are confident we can win at trial or settle for a fair amount in negotiations, with no payment required up ahead.
Contact our legal team at 719-300-1100 (toll-free) or via the online form to arrange a free initial consultation. We can start processing your claim for damages right now.
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