News | September 22, 2000

OSHA proposes $2.5 million fine for Phillips explosion

Lack of training led to death and injuries, says OSHA, which charges that the explosion was not an isolated incident

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) wants to fine Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LP (Houston, TX) $2.5 million for 50 safety violations that led to an explosion at the Phillips Chemical Co. Houston Chemical Complex on March 27, 2000. The explosion killed one worker and injured 69 others.

Chevron Phillips says it is already acting to make significant changes in its approach to safety at the facility.

According to OSHA, Phillips's failure to train workers properly was a key factor in the explosion at the Pasadena, TX, complex. OSHA, which completed its six-month investigation of the incident, says the explosion was the culmination of a larger problem.

"Unfortunately, this tragedy is not an isolated incident, but one in a series of incidents at this site," explains Labor Secretary Alexis M. Herman. "Three workers lost their lives in explosions at this plant in less than a year's time, and 23 others were killed in a major explosion in 1989."

Runaway reaction
OSHA says the March explosion took place when a runaway chemical reaction burst a 12,000-gal vessel containing an unknown quantity of butadiene. The explosion started a fire and damaged other nearby chemical tanks. According to OSHA:

  • The tank, taken out of service for cleaning, had no pressure or temperature gauges to alert control room workers of the impending hazard.
  • Phillips had not trained workers in safety procedures for handling butadiene. They were unaware of the potential for explosion.
  • While the vessel was not in use, butadiene continued to flow into the tank through a nonfunctioning valve that had not been properly locked out.

Repeat violations
"We have cited similar violations again and again at this plant, yet tragedies continue to occur," says OSHA Administrator Charles N. Jeffress.

"What is really needed here is a full reassessment of worker safety and health in all areas of the plant, significantly improved training for employees and a firm commitment from plant and corporate management to make safety an ongoing high priority.

"We recognize that the plant is now under new ownership, and we look to the new owners to assure that the problems of the past do not continue."

As a result of its six-month inspection, OSHA has alleged 50 safety violations with total proposed penalties of $2,517,000. These include:

  • Training. OSHA alleges 30 willful instance-by-instance violations for failure to train plant operators. Each violation carries a proposed penalty of $70,000 for a total $2.1 million fine. Willful violations are those committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and OSHA regulations.
  • Process safety. OSHA sees four alleged willful violations of process safety management and lockout/tagout standards. The proposed penalty is $280,000. Serious violations involve a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could occur, and that the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.
  • Repeat violations. OSHA alleges two repeat violations of the process safety management standard for a proposed penalty of $70,000. Repeat violations are those for which an employer has been cited and agreed to correct within the pa past three years.
  • Other. OSHA finds 13 alleged serious violations with proposed penalties of $66,000. It also assesses one other-than-serious violation with a proposed penalty of $1000.

According to OSHA, it has inspected this site 46 times, including four inspections in 1999. Three inspections in 1999 were related to explosions. In June 1999, two workers died in an explosion in the same unit of the plant where the explosion occurred in March this year.

The plant, a Phillips Petroleum Co. site doing business as Phillips Chemical Co., has been succeeded by Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., LP. The new entity has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Edited by Alan S. Brown
Managing Editor, Chemical Online

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