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The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued 25 citations for safety violations to Chevron USA following a fire at the company’s facility in Richmond, California on August 6, 2012.
The fire broke out after a corroded pipe at the oil refinery leaked. Managers ordered workers to remove the insulation on the pipe instead of shutting it down, which ultimately led to the pipe’s rupture and massive ensuing fire. No employees suffered serious injuries, but approximately 15,000 residents in the surrounding area sought treatment for exposure to emissions.
OSHA determined that Chevron failed to follow the recommendations from its own internal inspectors about the pipe in 2002. Proposed fines total $963,200.
“Although we acknowledge that we failed to live up to our own expectations in this incident, we do not agree with several of the Cal/OSHA findings and it’s characterization of the alleged violations as ‘willful,’” Chevron said in a released statement.
What good are internal safety inspectors if Chevron does not listen to them?
Please contact our firm today for a free consultation if you need assistance in filing for workers comp.
Tip of the day: If you are an employer or a manager for a construction company or an industrial facility, and safety inspectors recommend you fix something, you should do it.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus Workers Comp Attorneys