NJ.com reported that five workers were hospitalized in Atlantic County in March 2011 after they were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes while working at a farm on Pine Road in the southern New Jersey city of Hammonton.
According to Hammonton police, the five workers were discovered outside of a greenhouse on the farm’s property. The workers were then taken to the Virtua Berlin Hospital in Berlin, NJ for treatment of their chemical exposure injuries. All are expected to recover fully.
The New Jersey chemical exposure accident is still under investigation and few details have been released. Officials say it appears as though the carbon monoxide leak was due to a faulty heater or pipe in the greenhouse.
Chemical exposure accidents in New Jersey can occur due to a lack of proper safety training, a property owner or landlord’s failure to take adequate safety precautions, or improper maintenance of machines and equipment. Regardless of how the accident or exposure occurs, a worker can suffer serious injury or even death due to toxic chemical or gas exposure. Common injuries associated with exposure include burn injuries, damage to internal organs, neurological injuries, respiratory impairment, disfigurement, development of various cancers, or, even death (as can sometimes occur with carbon monoxide poisoning).
Chemical usage and storage are both strictly regulated because of the inherent dangers associated with some chemicals. Workers should be trained how to handle chemicals properly and contractors must provide those workers with adequate protective gear to help avoid hazardous chemical exposure. When a New Jersey worker or bystander suffers an injury or illness as a result of chemical or harmful gas exposure that could have been prevented, they may be able to hold the responsible parties accountable for their injuries, damages and losses.
At Blume Forte, our New Jersey chemical exposure attorneys have decades of experience successfully litigating workplace accident and other toxic exposure cases for our clients. To learn more about your legal rights, call 973-845-4421.