Three workers at the Doe Run smelting plant in Herculaneum, Missouri were injured the morning of Tuesday, June 11 due to an acid spill at the plant. The workplace accident was apparently caused by a sulfuric acid leak after an acid storage line connection broke apart. According to a Doe Run spokesperson, two of the workers were treated and released, while the most seriously injured worker was taken by helicopter to the burn unit at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis.
For more information about this incident, see the following news story covered by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/acid-spill-at-doe-run-plant-injures-three-workers/article_6e84324a-5b32-573e-baf6-235a8fc15697.html.
Incidents like this serve as an important reminder to be aware of your rights as a worker. If you ever find yourself injured while on the job, be sure to understand that you have the right to a safe working environment, as well as the right to be compensated for any work you miss due to that injury. If an injury does occur at the workplace, or while you are in the course of your employment, contact a union representative or an attorney for assistance in filing a Workers’ Compensation claim and assessing your legal rights and options. A significant portion of our practice entails the representation of people injured at work. Feel free to contact one us with any questions about the Workers’ Compensation system in Missouri or to seek legal help with your claim.
Please visit our website for additional information about how we can help you. And, for more information on the rights of injured workers and workplace safety, visit the Missouri Department of Labor’s website at: http://labor.mo.gov/DWC/Injured_Workers/.
