Workers Injured in Refinery Explosion Sue over Safety Claims

Four workers injured in an explosion at the Co-op Refineries sued over unsafe work conditions. They claim that they suffered severe physical injuries in the blast and they and their family members also suffered severe emotional distress and anxiety afterwards. The lawsuit alleges that two refinery companies were negligent for failing to ensure the workplace was safe, claiming that there were reports questioning the safety of pipes at the plant before the explosion and that one month before the blast, electricians working at the site refused to work due to safety concerns. The workers also sued two other companies that employed them at the time of the explosion, alleging the companies held weekly safety meetings where concerns brought up by employees were disregarded [Federated Co-operatives Ltd., Consumers Co-operative Refinery Ltd., Skyway Canada Limited and SkyHigh Canada, Canadian Press, Feb. 5, 2014].