In the early morning of October 4, 2023, at approximately 5:30 a.m., a 52-year-old man from Buffalo, Texas, driving a 1997 Chevrolet pickup was killed in a fatal crash with a commercial tractor-trailer that had jack-knifed and blocked northeast lanes of traffic on Highway 79 near Oakwood, Texas. According to the Texas Department of Public…
Read More
On September 26, 2023, an adult and a teen were killed—with another teen in critical condition—following a serious crash with a tractor-trailer on the northbound lane of I-35 and mile marker 41 near the La Salle County. The catastrophe occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety preliminary reports, the…
Read More
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) published a study during Summer 2023 that tracked federal workplace data from 2014 through 2019. This study was novel in concept and collected information on 470 total deaths among industry workers across the United States. Among the causes of death, vehicle crashes and being hit by an…
Read More
Every year, numerous workplace accidents occur due to inadequate safety measures, particularly when it comes to operating heavy equipment. Backing up heavy equipment without a spotter is serious hazard that is very likely to cause serious bodily injury or death through striking or backing-over pedestrians. OSHA regulations make clear that several dangers arise from backing…
Read More
In the early morning of January 23, 2020, an explosion occurred at the Watson Grinding and Manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas. The explosion was immense. Hundreds of homes were damaged, and many residents of the local community were injured; those who were unfortunate enough to be in their homes that morning of the explosion. Years…
Read More
In the State of Texas, intrastate pipeline operators are governed by many different laws and regulations, including those promulgated by the Texas Railroad Commission (“RRC”). For example, to operate in Texas, a pipeline operator is required to submit a T-4 Permit to Operate, which is specifically a permit to operate a pipeline. The T-4 form…
Read More
For years, Texas has led the nation in occupational deaths, with the top percentage typically arising from construction. Despite apparent efforts to combat the inherent risk in construction and other industrious trades, employers have touted that new employees receive mandatory OSHA training in the hopes of mitigating the risk present while on the job. Still,…
Read More
Figure 1- The Canadian Pacific train that derailed in North Dakota on 3/26/23. Photo credit: www.APNews.com On Sunday night of March 26, 2023, a Canada Pacific train derailed, affecting 31 of its 70 cars, which caused hazardous materials including petroleum for asphalt to spill out into the surrounding land. This incident marks yet another hazardous…
Read More