BP assessed record fine for fatal Texas blast
OSHA cites 'egregious, willful' violations
In the wake of a disastrous explosion that killed 15 workers and injured more than 150 others, BP Products North America Inc. has been fined a record $21 million by the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). The March 23 explosion, OSHA found, occurred due to management's lax attitudes toward safety.
BP has denied wrongdoing and placed the blame for the explosion on employees at its Texas City, TX, plant, some of whom were fired from their jobs and have responded with lawsuits claiming BP wrongly blamed them for the blast.
OSHA investigators ruled that the violations that led to the explosions had existed at the plant for years, despite OSHA inspections.
BP claimed the violations that led to the blast had existed for years and denied that OSHA had failed to properly inspect the plant over the years. According to OSHA, along with the $21 million in penalties, BP Products agreed to:
- abate all hazards for which it was cited;
- complete a review of the damaged unit to determine how it can be operated safely, and to notify OSHA if and when the company decides to start the unit back up;
- retain a process safety management consultant;
- hire an expert to assess and report on communication between management, supervisors, and employees;
- submit logs of occupational injuries every six months for three years;
- notify OSHA of any incident or injury at the facility that results in an employee losing one or more workdays during a three-year period.
OSHA cited BP for "egregious, willful violations" for operating faulty electrical equipment, failing to correct deficiencies in equipment related to the pressure relief system, failing to compile written process safety information for the unit, failing to evaluate the safety and health impact of a catastrophic blast near the unit, and failing to examine alarms and instruments for reliability.
In the wake of a disastrous explosion that killed 15 workers and injured more than 150 others, BP Products North America Inc. has been fined a record $21 million by the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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