You can get compensation for your injuries and still keep working

On Behalf of | Jul 5, 2019 | Workplace Accidents |

If you work in a warehouse in Torrance, then it’s quite possible that your company uses propane as the energy source to power the forklifts there. If your California employer uses this gas and stores the canisters on the premises, then you and your co-workers should be trained on how to properly handle them. This is the only way to ensure that one of you won’t get seriously hurt on the job.

Propane is extremely hazardous. If the pressure inside the container builds up too much, then it can cause a fiery explosion.

The cage that you see these canisters stored inside of at your local retailer protect these flammable containers from being knocked over, punctured or bumped.

Even the most minor contact can cause a cylinder to collapse, rupture or leak. A large explosion can ensue moments later after this happens. Fires caused by damaged propane containers have been known to quickly engulf equipment, inventory and buildings. These fires also often take human lives.

There are Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines in place that companies are supposed to follow when handling and storing propane and other types of liquid gasses.

Those guidelines allow for these cylinders to be kept either inside or outside. Companies are not permitted to store them near any high-traffic areas such as entryways or exists or stairwells though.

OSHA also prohibits businesses from storing these containers directly on the ground. They instead require companies to place them on a raised surface that allows for them to receive ventilation. Business owners are also not allowed to store them nearby any other combustible or flammable materials. OSHA requires that empty containers be stored the same way as full ones.

Workplace accidents such as propane canister or tank explosions often cause serious injuries or death. The extent of worker’s impairments varies greatly depending on how close they were the epicenter of activity at the time the incident happened. If you’ve made a successful recovery after being seriously hurt and you want to return to your job, then an experienced workplace accidents attorney can advise you how you can get a settlement and still keep your job.

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