Six sue Arkema, others for chemical exposure

WHEELING -- Six people are suing Arkema Inc. after they claim they were exposed to chemicals used in float-sink coal laboratories and related facilities.

Belmont Laboratories; Diamond Shamrock Chemicals Company; Dow
Chemical Company; Gulf States Energy, Inc.; ICL-IP America, Inc.; Ineos Chlor America Inc.; Interstate Chemical Co., Inc.; JSC Kaustik; Legacy Vulcan Corp.; Magic Chemicals, Inc.; Mid-State Chemical & Supply Corp.; Miljac, Inc.; Occidental Chemical Corporation; Oltchim, S.A.; PPG Industries; Preiser Scientific, Inc.; Primachem, Inc.; PVS Chemicals, Inc.; Solvay Chemicals International SA; Tra-Det Laboratories, LLC; Univar USA, Inc; and US Chemicals, Inc., a/k/a US Chemicals, LLC, were also named as defendants in the suit.

Michael Bibbee, of Bridgeport, Ohio; Carey G. Doll, of Wellsburg; Cindi L. Greathouse, of Wheeling; Kevin L. Huntsman, of Barnesville, Ohio; James E. Nixon, of Wheeling; and Keith E. Wisor, of Wheeling, were exposed to the float-sink lab chemicals during various employments with the defendants, according to a complaint filed Aug. 9 in Ohio Circuit Court.

The plaintiffs claim the defendants failed to warn adequately of the adverse health effects and risk of harm from exposure to the float-sink lab chemicals and about the need for personal protective clothing and safety equipment to minimize or eliminate exposure to the chemicals that caused them to sustain various injuries.

The defendants failed to conduct adequate training of plaintiffs about the health effects and hazards of their exposure to float-sink chemicals; failed to create and maintain at all times a written inventory of the hazardous chemicals used in the float-sink lab; and failed to provide the plaintiffs with safety instructions, warnings, literature or safe handling procedures and health effects of exposure to float-sink lab chemicals, according to the suit.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages; recovery of the costs of medical screening and future medical monitoring; and pre- and post-judgment interest. They are being represented by Thomas F. Basile.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Arthur M. Recht.

Ohio Circuit Court case number: 10-C-283