Another Daikin America employee dies after being exposed to chemicals

DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) - Another Daikin America employee has died after he was exposed to a dangerous chemical in July.

A source confirmed on Tuesday the death of Will Delashaw. Delashaw was in UAB’s ICU trying to recover from chemical exposure when he passed away.

Daikin officials released the following statement on Wednesday:

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Will Delashaw. (33 years old)

Our hearts and prayers go out to Will’s wife, Ashley, and the family.

Will has been a part of the Daikin America family for over 9 years.

Words cannot adequately express our deep sense of sadness at the loss of one of our Daikin family members.

Grief counselors are at the plant for our employees.

Please keep Will Delashaw’s family, and the entire Daikin America family in your prayers, as we all struggle with this heartbreaking news.

Delashaw had a pending lawsuit against Daikin over that exposure incident filed just weeks ago. According to Delashsaw’s attorney Kendall Dunson of Beasley Allen Law Firm, he was exposed in the same incident that killed Daikin employee Wesley Rusk in August.

During the July 2021 incident, Delashaw, Rusk, and another employee were exposed to chemicals at Daikin in July. That next month, Rusk died from complications of exposure, and now only one of the employees from that incident is still alive. Dunson says Delashaw never learned what chemical he was exposed to, and that he was wearing PPE at the time of the exposure.

Here is Dunson’s full statement on Delashaw’s passing:

“Mr. Delashaw’s passing is tragic. He was fortunate to be surrounded by his loving family. We will do whatever is necessary to find out exactly what happened to him. We will honor his memory and the memory of others who died from exposure at Daikin.”

A woman named Darby Dockery also died this month. She worked as a contractor in the Daikin plant in 2019 and also believed she was exposed to dangerous chemicals.

Dockery was told she only had four years to live without a lung transplant and died of COVID complications.

Dockery’s husband Bobby Humphrey criticizes Daikin’s safety record.

Here is Humphrey’s full statement on Delashaw’s passing:

“I know personally what the family is going through, me and my daughters went through it. It was and is the most horrible and heartbreaking thing we have ever been through. Our thoughts and prayers go not only to him and his family, but all others injured. Daikin truly needs to get their safety in shape and do what’s right for the families hurt out there.”

Another man in that 2019 incident, Peter Lewis, died just weeks after that exposure and a lawsuit is being filed on behalf of his estate.

Daikin faces multiple lawsuits over these exposures.

Attorney Randy Ferguson says he plans to file another next week. OSHA is also investigating but hasn’t given much information on the specifics.

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