Texas Refinery Must Face Suit Over Contractor’s Workplace Fall

Pasadena Refinery System Inc. must face a lawsuit brought by the employee of a contractor who fell 13 feet while trying to perform work during a planned maintenance project, a Texas court of appeals ruled Tuesday.

Because PRSI controlled the work the contractors performed, it owed Michael Torres reasonable care to keep the area where he was performing the maintenance safe, such as by installing a ladder cage on scaffolding to prevent falls.

The contract between PRSI and 3-J Ryan, the contractor that performed a maintenance project, showed that PRSI had a substantial control over the work the contractor performed, ...