Pelican Refining Pleads Guilty to Clean Air Act Violations
Pelican Refining has a rocky past when it comes to workplace and environmental safety regulations. In October 2011, the company plead guilty to felony violations of the Clean Air Act and obstruction of justice charges. Pelican faced $12 million in penalties for the violations, which were initially discovered during an inspection in March 2006 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ).
According to an EPA report, Pelican Refining officials admitted to the following:
- They did not have an environmental department and environmental manager.
- They did not have working pollution prevention equipment.
- The refinery’s continuous emission monitoring system, which measures emissions, was not working.
- A device used to remove hydrogen sulfide from emissions was bypassed.
- They provided false information to the states of Texas and Louisiana regarding asphalt testing.
- The pilot light at the refinery’s flare tower (which is used to burn off toxic gases) was not working. For over a year, employees used an emergency flare gun to relight the tower.
In one shocking revelation, Pelican Refining admitted: “employees would take turns trying to shoot the flare gun to relight the explosive gasses.”
Accidents & Injuries at Lake Charles Refineries
A refinery is no place to shoot an emergency flare gun. It is also no place to allow noncompliance with laws and regulations that are meant to protect workers and the environment. Refinery accidents happen when people are careless and when companies put more importance on making money than on protecting their employees and communities. It may be boardroom executives who try to save money by delaying the replacement of outdated equipment. It may be the manufacturer of a piece of machinery or equipment that malfunctions, or a supervisor who allows an untrained or inexperienced worker to perform a task they’re not qualified for.
An accident at Pelican Refining or any refinery may cause injuries such as:
Our Pelican Refinery Accident Attorneys Are Here for You
Arnold & Itkin has helped refinery workers across the U.S. who have experienced the unthinkable. We’ve represented people who survived explosions that ripped through refineries and plants. We have helped families who have lost loved ones in industrial accidents that could have been prevented, had the company simply placed more importance on safety than on profits.
If you work for Pelican Refining Company or are a contractor who was injured at Pelican Refining in Lake Charles, you have options. You could recover a significant settlement or award for all of your medical treatment, ongoing care, physical therapy, lost earnings, loss of future earnings, emotional trauma, and more. Our lawyers have the resources and the experience to handle your case, even if it means going up against a company that has an entire team of lawyers that will try to defeat us. We don’t back down. We fight until we get answers and justice for our clients. This approach has helped us secure over $20 billion in compensation for the injured and wronged.
Contact our Pelican Refining accident attorneys today. You can call (888) 493-1629 or contact us online for a free consultation. If we take your case, you pay nothing unless we win.
