The Ohio Attorney General has obtained criminal indictments against the United Oil Recovery Services Inc. after a fatal workplace accident.

The charges were filed against the president and plant manager and the state claims that the Ohio facility was treating wastewater improperly using sodium hydrosulfide. Doing this led to a chemical reaction that caused the death of an employee. The coroner report stated that the man's death was caused by hydrogen sulfide poisoning.

The safety manager and company are charged with involuntary manslaughter, environmental violations and reckless homicide. This case may be a shift that the state will see in workplace accidents because it is usually very uncommon to see criminal charges after an accident like this.

Workplace accidents can have traumatizing effects on all involved, our thoughts are with the friends and family of the victim.