Prepare For Disaster - Oil, Gas, Chemical and Manufacturing Companies
Companies, and in some cases directors and officers, face tremendous liabilities when their facilities are hit with a disaster. OSHA, federal and state agencies, such as the EPA and the Department of Homeland Security can all be involved in investigation and resolution of the multiple issues involved.

Problem: Because there are so many aspects to preparing for and dealing with a disaster, it is difficult to develop a cohesive plan to coordinate outside services during and after an emergency. Employees and the community are involved, environmental issues often come into play, and the company's need to preserve its brand reputation while responding in a time of stress, all require special knowledge and experience.

Baker Hostetler has a solution.

Solution: Baker Hostetler's Emergency Response Team offers preparedness training and 24/7 response capabilities through a toll-free pager directly to our crisis management attorneys. Our team includes attorneys who practice in environmental law, toxic tort, employee relations, class action litigation and other areas of law that can arise following a disaster. Our preparedness programs include training, documentation, audits, compliance plans and exposure analysis.

24 Hour Emergency Response Pager:

1.888.727.9572

Our services include:

Productive and prompt communication with investigative agencies, governmental organizations, insurance companies, potential claimants, employees and the media.
Assistance with safety, environmental response, fact-finding efforts and litigation prevention/mitigation.
Dealings with OSHA, federal and state agencies, such as the EPA and the Department of Homeland Security.
All facets of environmental response: contamination of air, soil, surface water, ground water, natural resources, and negotiation of authorization to resume operations.
Legal services for class actions, mass toxic tort, personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, nuisance lawsuits and employee intentional tort.
Workers compensation, employee or survivor benefits, union and workforce controversies, medical, insurance and white collar crime issues.
Coordinating expert support during investigations, analyses and assessments.

Result: We have assisted clients in disasters including a fatal chemical plant explosion, an ocean oil spill, a land fuel releases and plant fatalities.

Chemical plant explosion
A chemical plant explosion killed three workers, destroyed several one-million-gallon storage tanks, and reportedly contaminated the Ohio River. We managed all environmental investigations and litigation matters. No fines or penalties were imposed on our client. The court denied a motion for class certification, and the plant was rebuilt without any legal or regulatory delays.

Fuel release
When a release of petroleum and aviation jet fuel forced the evacuation of nearby homes, we immediately responded as an active member of the company's crisis management team. We helped coordinate negotiations with the state and federal EPA, communications with city and county officials. Later we defended the company in a series of lawsuits filed by commercial entities and homeowners.

Ocean oil spill
A tanker spill of 400,000 gallons of crude oil, we represented the charterer, providing an emergency response office, and representation in natural resources damage and class action litigation.

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