A 49-year-old has died after sustaining severe burn injuries in a workplace fire on Dec. 7. The man and three others were working at Polymer Partners LLC when a "polymer flash" occurred, sparking a fire that raged for nearly an hour before it was contained. The three other workers were hospitalized for injuries sustained in the workplace accident; two of them have since been released.

This was the second fire at Louisville's Polymer Partners in the past decade. A 2002 fire injured three workers. Polymer Partners has previously been cited by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet for violating safety and training regulations. It is likely facing additional citations and fines for the Dec. 7 fire, but the accident is still under investigation.

Industrial work is physically challenging and comes with inherent risks. Employers must ensure that sufficient training programs are in place and that important safety protocol is followed. When safety rules are disregarded, serious workplace injuries and fatalities are more likely to occur.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a workplace accident, contact an experienced Kentucky industrial accident injury attorney to discuss all potential avenues for recovering financial compensation, including workers' compensation and third-party liability claims.

Source: Plastics News, "Update: One worker killed in Polymer Partners fire," Frank Esposito, Dec. 19, 2011