$4M Settlement Finalized Over 2017 N. Charleston Paper Mill Employee’s Death

$4M Settlement Finalized Over 2017 N. Charleston Paper Mill Employee’s Death

In an update to a tragic incident that occurred at a paper mill in North Charleston, South Carolina in 2017, a wrongful death lawsuit has now reached a final settlement of $4 million.

The case arose from the death of an employee, Lawrence Ray Shiner Jr., who was buried in a salt compound residue at a North Charleston paper mill. The incident took place on April 30, 2017, when Shiner and his partner were working underneath a boiler to repair machinery. Suddenly, they heard a rumbling noise and before they could react, they found themselves overwhelmed by a flurry of ‘salt cake’ falling from above. The term ‘salt cake’ is used to describe a salt compound that formed on the interior walls and tubes of the cleaned boiler.

Lawsuit Details and Settlement Agreement

According to the lawsuit, Shiner’s co-worker was able to free himself from the salt cake, but could not rescue Shiner, who died from “mechanical asphyxiation”, trapped beneath the fallen salt cake. Shiner’s estate launched the lawsuit in 2019, accusing the responsible firms, Thompson Industrial Services and Palmetto Industrial Services, of neglecting to fully remove the salt cake from the boiler or warn paper mill employees about the potential risk.

Earlier this year, in May, Shiner’s estate agreed to a settlement with Thompson Industrial Services on an undisclosed sum. Yesterday, the courts finalized the remaining settlement between the deceased’s estate and Palmetto Industrial Services, thus bringing the original amount sought of $4.5 million down to $4 million. This latest settlement brings the long-running court case to a close after over seven years.

Despite the reached settlements, both Thompson and Palmetto have continuously denied any responsibility for Shiner’s death throughout the course of the legal proceedings.

Change of Ownership and Future Plans

The North Charleston paper mill was under the ownership of Kapstone at the time of Shiner’s death. However, it was acquired by WestRock in 2018. Despite the change of ownership, the mill shut down last year in May. The property is now owned by the South Carolina Ports Authority, following their purchase of the land.

This unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of worker safety in industrial environments, and the need for employers to maintain stringent safety protocols to protect their employees.