HR Management & Compliance

Workplace Lawsuits: Employer Continues To Pay For Catastrophic Refinery Fire

In continued fallout from a tragic 1999 fire at the Toscore finery in Martinez, the company has agreed to pay $4 million to settle a lawsuit for emotional injuries suffered by a subcontractor’s employee. Alfred “Chip” Simoni witnessed other workers burn to death while working on the refinery tower. He was unable to return to work as an ironworker foreman after suffering post-traumatic stress and flashbacks. Tosco has already paid $21 million to the families of three men killed in the fire, and was slapped with a penalty of $810,750 by Cal/OSHA, which it has appealed. The company also pleaded no contest to five criminal charges and agreed to pay a $2 million fine. Additional lawsuits brought by an employee injured in the fire and the family of another who died in the disaster are still pending.

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