Caterpillar employee sues Sherwin Williams, others, over explosion

An employee of Caterpillar is suing Sherwin-Williams and others over a work-related explosion that caused him to be burned.

George Herron of Benton filed suit against the paint company, Graco, Inc., Campbell Hausfeld, A-1 Buildings, which constructed the facility where the incident occurred, and electricians who were allegedly responsible for wiring that building. The other companies are named defendants as either distributors or manufacturers of the product Herron was using at the time of the explosion.

The suit, filed Feb. 9 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, claims that Herron was cleaning an airless spray paint spray assembly with solvent into a metal drum when an explosion occurred on Feb. 11, 2013.

Herron claims the Graco spraying apparatus was in a defective and unreasonably dangerous condition in that it did not have proper warnings and/or instructions on grounding and bonding, and for not having an interlock that prevented the machine from being operated without being grounded or bonded.

He claims he was burned over extensive parts of his body, suffered damage to his eyes and face and body as a whole.

Herron says that a Frankln County court declared him disabled between Feb. 14, 2013 and Oct. 3, 2014.

He claims he is permanently prevented from attending to his usual affairs and duties, and has lost wages, among other things.

Herron seeks in excess of $50,000 in damages.

He is represented by Joseph Bartholomew of Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-65.