FORREST CITY, Ark. (Legal Newsline) — A plumber working at a Boar's Head facility in Arkansas alleges employees' failure to warn him about toxic chemicals caused him to suffer severe burns while attempting to unclog a liquid reservoir.
Jacob Harris and Stricklin Plumbing Inc., filed a complaint June 6 in the St. Francis County Circuit Court against Boar's Head Provisions Co., Inc., and Timothy Ferrell alleging negligence.
According to his complaint, Harris was a plumber with Stricklin and was working at Boar's Head's facility in Forrest City on Aug. 17, 2022, in order to fix a drain clog. He claims he was escorted through the facility by Ferrell to the "rack wash" area, where employees were wearing rubber suits, face shields and other protective gear.
Harris further claims that unbeknownst to him, Boar's Head used caustic acid and/or bleach to clean the meat racks and that the liquid reservoir was clogged with "extremely caustic" and toxic liquid, which caused him to suffer chemical burns. Harris alleges that Ferrell and other Boar's Head employees watched while he worked in the liquid for almost an hour and failed to warn him about the toxic liquid until he left the facility and received a phone call from Boar's Head telling him he should have "hosed off."
He claims he suffered permanent scarring and lost income of more than $34,000.
Harris seeks monetary relief, interest and trial by jury, interest and all other just relief. He is represented by Austin Easley of Easley & Houseal PLLC in Forrest City.