Update: This worker, 31 years old, was killed in this accident.
Texas City, Texas — There was a major accident at the PBI Industrial off FM 517 earlier this week after an oxygen cylinder exploded. It happened on Thursday morning around 10:00 a.m. and authorities said that a worker was critically injured by the explosion.
So far, it appears that employees at PBI were filling up the oxygen cylinders that day when one of them accidentally exploded. A worker standing nearby the cylinder suffered a critical injuries to his leg and midsection, paramedics said.
He was taken via helicopter to a hospital in Galveston and it’s not clear if anyone else was hurt.
PBI didn’t make any statements, and it wasn’t clear what kind of business it was. One sources indicated that it was a propane and gas storage business.
The name of the injured man wasn’t released.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary:
Handling high-pressure content like oxygen and propane is very hazardous, and the cylinders obviously shouldn’t just explode at a moment’s notice after being set down. Perhaps there was something wrong with the cylinder itself, or there was a spark that ignited it. Whatever the case, the proper investigative steps should obviously be taken so that this doesn’t happen again.
Generally, workers’ compensation is used exclusively in the State of Texas for work-related accidents. However, when things like manufacturer defects or even third-party liability are introduced, it changes. If there was something wrong with the cylinder itself, then the manufacturer would potentially be liable, not the employer. But, if this was an unsafe environment wherein an accident was simply inevitable, then that’s a different story and the employer would have to answer for their actions.
— Grossman Law Offices
