Lawsuit alleges safety violation caused a death at Charlotte renewable energy plant
One of Charlotte’s renewable energy plants in being sued by the family of a man who fell to his death because of loose and missing guardrails, according to a lawsuit filed by his family.
James McDaniel died two years ago after falling more than 13 feet from a second story hoist onto the concrete below, the lawsuit filed in Gaston County Superior Court says. He worked at a bioenergy plant that sat on Johnson Road north of uptown and was owned by Charlotte Bioenergy Facility, according to the lawsuit.
After the Feb. 1, 2024 fall, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration filed two serious violations and cited “fall protection systems and falling object protection-criteria and practices” in its report. The plant had to pay nearly $20,000, according to the OSHA website. McDaniel’s family is asking for more than $50,000 in the lawsuit filed last week.
“The safety and well‑being of our employees and contractors remains our top priority,” Anaergia, which owns the plant, wrote in an email after initial publication of this article. “We continue to be devastated by this loss, and our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Mr. McDaniel’s family and loved ones.”
Former Mayor Dan Clodfelter went to the plant for a groundbreaking when it opened under different ownership in 2015, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 1:12 PM.
