Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

A federal and state investigation has begun into events leading up the explosion at Enterprise Products‘ Mont Belvieu gas plant that killed contract worker and father of two Rick Shaw, earlier this week. Since 2004 the Enterprise Products plant has paid thousands of dollars in fines for serious violations that include at least one other death.

The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) opened its investigation Tuesday, shortly after the fire began. Once OSHA‘s investigation is complete the details will be made public. Enterprise Products is conducting its own probe, and two State of Texas agencies will investigate the plant’s pipeline safety and also whether the plant violated air emission standards.

In 2005 a flash fire at the Mont Belvieu Enterprise plant burned and killed a worker who was overseeing a valve replacement. The plant has paid nearly $30,000 in fines since 2004 for a number of violations deemed serious by OSHA. In September two workers were hurt at BP’s Texas City refinery, the site where 15 workers were killed and 170 more were injured in a 2005 explosion. The workers were rushed to hospital with steam burns.

In 2005 Enterprise Products paid just over $12,000 in fines, a lesser amount than the $18,900 OSHA initially assessed against the company for the prior fatal incident in 2005. Based on Enterprise Products’ history at the Mont Belvieu plant, it certainly appears that the plant’s management were forewarned of safety issues. Unfortunately an OSHA investigation isn’t always enough: it sometimes takes a highly publicized lawsuit to take a company to task on their failures to keep workers safe, the BP Texas City refinery being a prime example of just that. This is particularly true in tragic circumstances such as the death of Mr. Rick Shaw, who leaves behind two daughters depending on him for love and financial support.

If you or a loved one have been injured at work, call Smith & Hassler‘s experienced personal injury attorneys for advice on your legal rights. Often after highly publicized incidents, particularly those resulting in serious injury or death to employees, company lawyers and insurers move fast to protect the company. Getting legal representation early by a firm such as Smith & Hassler that exclusively practices personal injury law protects the interests of injured workers or vulnerable, grieving families.

Smoke plume from Enterprise Products Mont Belvieu gas plant explosion that killed contract worker Rick Shaw can be seen for miles.

Wednesday February 9, 2011: Sadly a contract worker who has been missing since an explosion at the Enterprise Products gas plant in Mont Belvieu has been found dead. The explosions were heard at Enterprise Products plant on Sun Oil Road on Tuesday at 12:15PM. The company said the fire broke out at a storage tank of the west side of the facility. A leak was detected in the plant’s control room shortly before the explosion, and workers said they heard a hissing sound shortly before the blast. The fire was out by early Wednesday but officials were not able to go in right away because it was still too dangerous. Shortly after the explosion contract worker Rick Shaw was not accounted for, and Mr. Shaw was thought to have been working in the area of the plant where the explosion occurred. Mr. Shaw was found dead Wednesday night: he was from Crosby, Texas and worked for Louisiana-based Turner.

ABC Channel 13 reports that Mr. Shaw was 43-years old at the time of his death and was known to his family as Ricky. Mr. Shaw’s family were notified of his death by Enterprise Products, however told Eyewitness News they were disappointed by the lack of information they’d been getting from Enterprise Products. Rick Shaw’s sister said he was a contract worker who would take all the overtime hours he could get because he needed all the money he could get to take care of his two young girls. A family spokesperson said they were thrown off the property Wednesday when they went to speak to Enterprise Products officials. Charles Adams, who indicates he is married to Rick Shaw’s niece, said “…they are not telling us anything….”

The Houston Chronicle reported that Rick Shaw’s brother, Mark Shaw, said that he was told by one of the workers working along side Rick that Rick was inside a large gas cloud at the time of the explosion. Mark Shaw and Debbie Shaw (Rick’s sister) described Rick to the Chronicle as being hard-working and devoted to his 12 and 13-year old daughters. Debbie Shaw said that Rick loved his job and was a very dedicated worker.

Rick Shaw of Conroe, TX - victim of the Enterprise Products gas plant explosion in Mont Belvieu, TX. Mr. Shaw leaves two daughters, aged 12 and 13.

If you or a loved one has been injured at work, call a personal injury attorney at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation and advice on your legal rights.  Smith & Hassler‘s practice has been dedicated to representing injured Texans for more than 20-years.

Explosion at Enterprise Products Mont Belvieu gas plant that killed contract worker Ricky Shaw